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SACRAMENTAL  SELECTIONS; 


NATURE  AND  DESIGN 


OF 


THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 


WITH  THE 


PREPARATORY  SELF-EXAMINATION 


SUBSEQUENT  WALK 


OF 


COMMUNICANTS, 


FROM    VARIOUS    AUTHORS. 


BY  THE  REV.  JAMES  P.HVILSON,  D.  D. 

Pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Philadelphia. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 


PRINTED    AND    PUBLISHED  BY  W.  W.  WOODWARD 
No.  52,  Cornej  of  Second  and  Chesnut  street:, 

1812, 


DISTRICT  OF  PENNSYLVANIA,  To  wit : 

BE  it  Remembered,  That  on  the  thirteenth  day  of  May  in  the 
L.  S.    Thirty-sixth  vear  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States 

of  America,  A.  D.1812,  William  W.  Woodward,  of  the  said 
District,  hath  deposited  in  this  office  the  tide  of  a  Book,  the  right 
whereof  he  claims  as  Proprietor,  in  the  words  following,  to  wit : 

Sacramental  Selections,  or  the  Nature  and  Design  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  With  the  Preparatory  Self-examination  and  Subse- 
quent Walk  of  Communicants.  From  various  Authors.  By  the 
Hev.  James  P.  Wilson,  D.  D.  Pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  Philadelphia. 

In  conformity  to  the  Act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  in- 
tituled, "  An  Act  for  the  Encouragement  of  Learning,  by  securing 
•'  the  copies  of  Maps,  Charts,  and  Books,  to  the  Authors  and  Pro- 
"  prietors  of  such  copies  during  the  times  therein  mentioned  " — And 
also  to  the  Act  entitled,  "  An  Act  supplementary  to  an  Act,  entitled, 
•'  An  Act  for  the  Encouragement  of  Learning,  by  securing  the  co- 
**  pies  of  Maps,  Charts,  and  Books  to  the  Authors  and  Proprietors  of 
'•'  such  copies  during  the  times  therein  mentioned,*'  and  extending 
i(  the  benefits  thereof  to  the  Arts  of  designing,  engraving,  and  etch - 
"  nig  historical  and  other  prints." 

D.  CALDWELL, 

Clerk  of  the  District  of  Pennsylvania 


% 


- 


CONTEXTS. 


I.  Of  the  nature  and  uses  of  this  Ordinance  of 
the  Lord's  Supper. 

An  extract  from  "  The  Devout  Communicant's  Assistant," 
by  Dr.   Duncan  Page  1. 

An  extract  from  Essays  on  "  important  Subjects,"  bv  the 
Rev.  John  Blair  24 

II.  Of  the  Obligations  to  partake,  and  Answers 
to  the  usual  excuses  for  neglecting  the  Or- 

nance. 

An  Extract  from  "  The  Devout  Communicant's  Assis- 
tant," by  Dr.  Duncan  44 

An  Extract  from  "  Essays  on  important  Subjects,"  bv  the 
Rev.  John  Bbir  72 

A  CaseofConscier.ee  taken  cut  of  "  Pike  and  Hay  ward's 
Cases."  117 

A  Dialogue  extracted  from  "  A  Treatise  on  the  Lord's 
Supper,"  by  Mr.  Doolittle  133 

III.  Of  the  Self-examination,  which  ought   to 
precede  participation. 

An  extract  from  M  The  Devout  Communicant's  Assistant," 
by  Dr  Duncan  152 

An  extract  from  "  Discourses  en  the  Lord's  Supper,"  by 
Dr.  Owen  167 

A  case  of  conscience  selected  from  u  Pike  and  Hayward's 
Cases."  177 

An  extract  from  Ci  Sacramental  Exercises,"  by  Dr.  Earle     195 

IV.  Of  the  dispositions  and  meditations  suita- 
ble to  that  solemn  occasion. 

An  extract  from  ««  The  Devout  Communicant's  Assistant," 

by  Dr.  Duncan  213 

\n  extract  from  a  "  Review  of  the  In  jtittttion  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,"  Anonj  r     .  294 


CONTENTS. 

V.  Of  the  subsequent  Life  and  Deportment  of 
the  worthy  Communicant. 

An  extract  from  «« The  Devout  Communicant's  Assistant," 
by  Dr.  Duncan  249 

An  extract  from  "  The  Communicant's  Spiritual  Compa- 
nion," by  Dr.  Hawies  262 

VI.  Of  frequent  Communicating  proved  from 
the  Scriptures  and  Ancient  Fathers. 

Extracted  from  "Theological  Dissertations," by  Dr.  John 
Erskine  277 


SACRAMENTAL  SELECTIONS 


OR  THE 

NATURE  AND  DESIGN 


OF 


THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 


Ol    THE    NATURE    AND    USES    OF    THE  ORDINANCE   OF 
THE   LORD'S  SUPPER. 

THE  great  design  of  Almighty  God,  to 
bring  about  the  redemption  of  mankind 
by  Jesus  Christ,  has  been  gradually  discovered : 
it  has  been  carried  on  through  the  past  ages  of 
the  world  in  divers  manners  :  it  was  early  men- 
tioned to  Adam  :  it  was  promised  to  Abraham  : 
it  was  represented  in  types  and  figures  under 
the  Mosaic  dispensation.  The  promise  made  to 
the  father  of  the  faithful,  was  repeated  to  David. 
In  the  fulness  of  time  God  sent  forth  his  Son, 
made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law.  All 
these  circumstances  prove  this  great  underta- 
king to  have  been  the  *  eternal  purpose  of  God : 


*  The  happiness  of  man  in  his  first  estate  flowed  from  the  goodness 
of  God,  his  miseries  have  flowed  from  his  own  guilt.  Justice  would 
approve  if  man  in  every  instance  were  left  to  the  consequences  of 
his  crimes.  As  man  is  formed  for  actively  glorifying  God,  if  ever)' 
man  had  failed  of  this  forever,  it  would  have  argued  a  disappoint- 
ment of  the  purposes  of  his  Creator  :  but  the  supposition  is  indis- 

B 


6  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

but  it  is  not  yet  fully  displayed.  The  last  amaz- 
ing and  perfecting  part  of  this  great  plan  extends 
to  another  world :  then  only  shall  the  mystery 
of  God  be  finished. 

As  all  the  views  in  which  this  important  de- 
sign hath  appeared,  have  relation  one  to  ano- 
ther, they  contribute  mutually  to  cast  light  up- 
on each  other.  Thus,  Christ  himself  said  to  the 
Jews,  "  If  ye  had  believed  Moses,  ye  would 
have  believed  me,  for  he  wrote  of  me.  As  Mo- 
ses lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  so 
shall  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  might  not  perish,  but 
have  eternal  life  ;"  and,  of  the  passover,  he 
saith,  That  it  should  be  fulfilled  in  the  king- 
dom of  God. 

When  this  type  was  about  to  be  fulfilled,  un- 
der the  gospel  dispensation,  in  the  death  of  Christ 

creet,  for  the  whole  scheme  of  God  relative  to  man  is  one,  and  en- 
tire ;  and  the  salvation  of  the  myriads  of  saints  was  as  much  in  the 
divine  view  as  the  formation  of  man.  In  themselves  guilty  and  help- 
less, their  salvation  must  spring  from  the  mercy  of  their  Creator.  But 
mercy  cannot  be  extended  to  the  disparagement  of  the  justice,  holi- 
ness, and  truth  of  God.  The  Scriptures  affirm  maw's  inability  to  satisfy 
justice,  he  has  nothing  to  render,  he  cannot  be  profi table  to  God,  and 
the  great  Supreme  cannot  cease  to  be  just,  or  wave  the  demands  of  jus- 
tice. They  show  that  God  has  provided  a  satisfaction,  which  has  been 
rendered  according  to  purposes  existing  before  man's  creation,  so  that 
justice  has  received  all  her  dues,  with  respect  to  those  who  have  an  in- 
terest in  Christ.  Man  is  unholy,  averse  to  submission, and  unfit  for  the 
enjoyment  of  God;  a  way  therefore  has  been  opened,  by  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  can,  consistently  with  justice,  be  sent  to  change  the  heart, 
produce  submission,  and  make  the  party  meet  for  glory.  And  because 
;:11  this  was  from  eternity  on  the  Divine  mind,  he  has  never  said  or 
done  any  thing  in  his  transactions  with  man  incompatible  with  such 
intentions,  though  such  purposes  have  not  been  expressed  as  limita- 
tions of  his  denunciations.  This  whole  scheme  of  salvation  originates 
with,  and  is  carried  on,  and  perfected  by  God.  It  is  all  therefore  of 
grace,  and  all  redounds  to  his  glory. 


OF  THE   LORD  S    SUPPER. 


our  passover,  on  the  night  before  he  was  cru- 
cified, our  blessed  Lord  instituted  the  Sacra- 
ment *  of  his  Supper.  It  is  recorded  by  three 
Evangelists:  Matt.  xxvi.  20,  20,27,28.  "Now 
u  when  the  even  was  come,  he  sat  down  with 
"  the  twelve.  And  as  they  were  eating,  Jesus 
"  took  bread,  and  blessed  it,  and  brake  it,  and 
"  gave  it  to  the  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat ; 
"  this  is  my  body.  And  he  took  the  cup,  and 
"  gave  thanks,  and  gave  it  to  them,  saying, 
"  Drink  ve  all  of  it :  for  this  is  mv  blood  of  the 
"  new  testament,  which  is  shed  for  many,  for 
il  the  remission  of  sins.  Mark  xiv.  17,  18,22, 
"  23,  24.  And  in  the  evening  he  cometh  with 
"  the  twelve.  And  as  they  sat  and  did  eat,; — 
"  Jesus  took  bread,  and  blessed,  and  brake  it. 
"  and  gave  to  them,  and  said,  Take,  eat :  this 
"  is  my  body.  And  he  took  the  cup,  and  when 
"  he  had  given  thanks,  he  gave  it  to  them :  and 
"  they  all  drank  of  it.  And  he  said  unto  them, 
"  This  is  my  blood  of  the  new  testament,  Which 
"  is  shed  for  many.  Luke  xxii.  14,  19,  20. 
"  And  when  the  hour  was  come,  he  sat  down, 


*  That  the  word  Sacramentum  was  used  to  signify  a  military  oath 
amor.g  the  Romans,  cannot  be  questioned.  That  Pliny  used  it  in  this 
sense,  when  he  applied  it  to  the  Lord's  simper,  in  his  description  of 
Christian  worship  in  his  letter  to  Trajan,  ought  also  to  be  admitted. 
Hut  whether  it  was  so  understood  by  the  early  Christians,  who  first 
applied  it  to  the  ordinances,  is  extremely  doubtful.  They  used  the 
word  Sacramentum,  for  mvsterv,  as  is  plain  from  its  occurrence  in  the 
Vulgate  in  Ephes.  i.  9.  'iii.  3.  9.  v/32.  Col.  i.  27.  1  Tim.  iii.  16. 
Rev.  i.  20.  xvii.  7.  and  perhaps  in  otherplaces.  They  probably  there- 
fore meant  by  the  term  thus  used,  that  more  was  contained  in,  or  in- 
tended by  the  ordinances  of  Baptism  and  the  Supper,  than  the  ex- 
ternal rites  discovered  to  uninstructed  spectators.  Vide  Dr.  Camp- 
bell on  the  Gospels,  and  Dr.  V.  Knox,  on  the  Lord's  Supper. 


8  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

"  and  the  twelve  apostles  with  him.  And  he 
"  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake  it, 
**  and  gave  unto  them,  saying,  This  is  my  bo- 
"  dy  which  is  given  for  you:  this  do  in  re  mem - 
11  brance  of  me.  Likewise  also  the  cup  after 
"  supper,  saying,  This  cup  is  the  new  testa- 
"  ment  in  my  blood,  which  is  shed  for  you." 

The  fullest  account  given  of  it  is  by  the  holy 
Apostle  Paul,  1  Cor.  xi.  23.  The  writings  of 
the  Apostle  and  of  the  Evangelists  are  of  equal 
authority  :  we  may  safely  rely  on  them  ;  for  they 
were  all  written  by  the  aid  and  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.*    The  Evangelist  Matthew  was 

*  Reason  afier  her  highest  attainments  is  nonplussed  in  many 
things,  about  which  men  in  all  ages  have  been  solicitous.  Whether 
the  soul  survives  the  body,  whether  the  body  shall  be  raised,  whether 
man  can  be  rendered  happy  without  satisfaction  to  offended  justice, 
whether  there  be  a  way  of  salvation,  and  such  like,  are  questions, 
the  solution  of  which,  if  they  have  been  solved,  must  have  come  from 
the  God  of  nature.  He  is  able  to  reveal  to  us  his  pleasure  for  we  can- 
not frame  a  thought  without  him.  This  has  been  also  the  general  be- 
lief, as  is  proved  by  the  contrivance  and  reception  of  Pagan  oracles, 
and  by  the  efforts  to  sanction  human  laws  by  Divine  authority.  That 
he  has  dene  it,  appears  by  the  declarations  of  the  writers  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  ;  they  have  not  wilfully  prevaricated  ;  their  characters  are 
£ccd,  and  their  testimony  was  against  their  interest  and  worldly 
comfort.  Their  subject  matter  contains  too  much  evidence  of  wis- 
dom to  allow  us  to  suppose  the  writers  ignorant  and  enthusiastic. 
These  writings  speak  themselves  divine  ;  they  give  the  mosf  perfect 
character  of  Deity,  the  most  credible  account  of  the  origin  of  man, 
his  first  condition,  the  peopling  of  the  world,  his  present  character, 
and  natural  disposition;  and  the  way  of  happiness.  They  surpass 
every  system  of  morals  yet  offered  to  the  world.  They  have  stood 
the  test  of  the  most  severe  and  most  general  scrutiny  of  all  sorts  of 
men,  through  many  ages,  and  have  not  been  justly  charged  with  any 
defect.  Their  morality  is  the  most  pure ;  their  history  of  the  eariy 
times  the  most  credible;  and  their  representation  of  Deity  the  most 
reasonable.  Their  effects  in  civilizing  the  savage  mind,  in  calming 
its  furious  passions,  regulating  its  inordinate  desires,  in  directing  the 
will  to  its  proper  object,  in  disseminating  the  prejudices  of  the  dark- 
ened understanding,  and  rendering  man  a  reasonable  being,  discover 


OF  THE  LORDS    SUPPER.  9 

present,  and  narrates  the  summary  of  what  he 
heard  and  saw ;  the  holy  Apostle  Paul  writes 
what  he  had  received  by  immediate  revelation, 
from  our  Lord  himself,  relative  to  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

He  wrote  on  purpose  to  rectify  what  had  been 
amiss  in  the  conduct  of  the  church  of  Corinth, 

that  they  are  not  a  human  invention.  Prophecies,  miracles,  the  pre- 
servation of  the  Scriptures,  and  of  the  nation  of  the  Jews  to  be  wit- 
nesses of  the  Old  Testament,  which  is  the  best  proof  of  the  New,  and 
the  accompanying  witness  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  his  own  word,  ren- 
der certain  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures. 

Many  portions  of  these  sacred  books  were  communicated  to  the 
speakers  or  writers  immediately  by  strong  impressions  upon  their 
minds,  by  visions,  by  dreams,  by  audible  voices,  or  face  to  face,  and 
whether  the  ideas  or  words  were  thus  given,  it  may  be  denominated 
for  the  sake  of  distinction,  an  inspiration  by  suggestion.  By  far  the 
greater  portion  of  the  sacred  Scriptures  is  historical.  The  writers  pos- 
sessed in  common  with  other  men  reason,  memory,  and  the  other 
ordinary  mental  faculties,  and  were  sufficiently  acquainted  with  their 
own  language  to  narrate  the  occurrences  of  which  they  had  been  wit- 
nesses, or  the  facts,  of  which  they  had  received  certain  information 
from  others.  There  could  be  no  need  of  an  immediate  suggestion  of 
the  things  they  knew  or  remembered,  but  only  of  things  which  they 
would  not  have  remembered;  and  also,  that  it  was  God's  will,  that 
they  should  make  such  record.  It  cannot  be  believed  that  Deity  in- 
tending to  perpetuate  the  knowledge  of  such  facts,  would  suffer  him- 
self to  be  disappointed  in  the  means  or  instruments  adopted.  He  allow- 
ed them  to  communicate  as  witnesses  their  own  ideas,  in  their  own 
words,  but  so  superintended  them,  that  it  should  be  all  true,  and  that 
that,which  he  intended,  should  be  communicated.  This  is  the  inspira- 
tion of  superintendence,  which  const hutes  the  whole  the  word  of  God, 
all  the  Scriptures  being  written  by  inspiration  of  him. 

Deeds  and  wills  express  the  minds  of  grantors  and  testators  in  the 
language  in  which  they  were  originally  written  and  executed.  The 
Septuagint,  Vulgate,  and  other  versions,  and  the  masoretic  points, 
give  us  but  the  opinions  of  judicious  men  upon  the  various  parts  of 
the  Original,  and  are  not  the  xcord  of  God.  Much  of  the  Scriptures  is 
in  figurative  "anguage:  to  adopt  a  literal  interpretation  universale, 
would  therefore  be  to  mistake  in  many  instances  the  sense.  When 
rhis  is  apparent  we  are  at  liberty  to  adopt  no  other;  unless  a  secon- 
dary sense  has  been  expressly  authorized  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  sorr^ 
other  passage  of  Scripture. 

B     2 


10  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

in  administering  that  ordinance  ;  and,  therefore, 
recites  the  original  account  of  its  institution. 
" 1  have  received  of  the  Lord,  that  which  also  I 
*'  delivered  unto  you,  that  the  Lord  Jesus,  the 
u  same  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed,  took 
"  bread :  and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he 
"  brake  it,  and  said,  Take,  eat;  this  is  my  body, 
"  which  is  broken  for  you  :  this  do  in  remem- 
"  brance  of  me.  After  the  same  manner  also,  he 
"  took  the  cup,  when  he  had  supped,  saying, 
"  This  cup  is  the  new  Testament  in  my  blood  ; 
f6  this  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remem- 
u  brance  of  me.  For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this 
"  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  shew  the 
u  Lord's  death  till  he  come.  Wherefore,  who- 
"  soever  shall  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup 
"  of  the  Lord  unworthily,  shall  be  guilty  of  the 
"  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord.  But  let  a  man 
ic  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that 
11  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup.  For  he  that 
"  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and 
•'•'  drinketh  damnation  to  himself,  not  discerning 
'  the  Lord's  body." 

After  our  Lord  had  celebrated  the  passover 
with  his  disciples,  the  Apostle  and  Evangelists 
say,  "  he  took  bread."  The  Evangelists  St. 
Matthew  and  Mark  say,  "  he  blessed  it."  The 
Evangelist  St.  Luke,  and  St.  Paul,  say,  "  he 
gave  thanks."  The  two  expressions  import  the 
same  thing ;  an  act  of  religious  worship ;  and 
that  our  Lord  implored  the  blessing  of  Almigh- 
ty God  on  the  bread  and  the  wine,  that  thereby, 
as  the  memorials  of  his  death,  they  might  be 


11 

made  to  answer  the  pious  and  religious  purpose 
to  whieh  he  had  appointed  them.  Thus  our  Sa- 
viour is  said  to  have  applied  to  heaven,*  im- 
ploring the  blessing  of  Almighty  God  on  the 
loaves  and  the  fishes  :  he  laid  his  hands  also  on 
little  children,  and  blessed  f  them  :  he  lift  up 
his  hands,  and  blessed  his  disciples,  at  his  as- 
cension .J 

He  took  bread,  and  brake  it :  A  part  of  the 
institution  very  significant ;  for,  had  it  not  been 
broken,  it  could  not  have  been  a  proper  emblem 
of  his  body,  which  was  broken,  or  crucified  for  us. 
Breaking  of  bread  seems,  therefore,  to  have  been 
the  name  most  commonlv  used  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament,  to  express  the  Lord's  Supper. )  And,  if 
the  bread  be  not  broken,  it  does  not  represent, 
as  it  ought,  the  communion  of  saints  ;  who,  (j 
by  that  action,  as  they  are  partakers  of  that  one 
bread,  have  communion  one  with  another ;  and 
are  all  as  really  members  of  that  one  body,  of 
which  Christ  is  the  head,  as  they  are  partakers 
of  one  bread. 

He  gave  it  to  his  disciples,  saying,  "  Take, 
u  eat ;  this  is  my  body,  which  is  broken  for 
ki  you."  The  disciples  could  not  possibly  have 
understood  by  this  expression,  that  the  bread 
was  Christ's  real  body  :  for  his  body  was  visi- 
bly distinct  from  the  bread.  It  could,  at  this 
time,  only  be  understood  figuratively ;  for  his 
body  was  not  crucified,  or  broken,  till  the  day 
following.   The  body  of  our  Lord  that  was  cru- 


•  Matt.  xiv.  19.  t  Mark  x.  16.  %  Luke  xxiv.  50,  51, 

f  Acts  xi.  7.11-  ii.  42.46.        I  1  Cor.  x.  16. 


12  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

cified,  separated  by  death  from  his  soul,  and  a- 
gain  joined  to  it  at  his  resurrection,  is  now  in 
heaven ;  this  sacrament  is  dispensed  in  remem- 
brance of  him  as  absent;  and,  therefore,  the 
bread  cannot  possibly  be  his  real  body.  This  is 
done  by  us,  the  Apostle  says,  u  to  shew  his 
"  death  till  he  come  ;"  but,  if  he  be  here  bodily 
present,  that  presence  destroys  the  ordinance 
entirely,  which  was  designed  to  keep  us  in  re- 
membrance of  him,  while  he  is  absent. 

The  cup  is  called  the  new  testament  or  co- 
venant in  his  blood :  that  is  to  say,  the  wine  in 
the  cup,  represents  the  blood  of  Christ,  by 
which  the  covenant  of  mercy  was  ratified  :  for 
our  Lord  became  "  the  great  Shepherd  of  the 
"  sheep,  by  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  cove- 
nant." 

These  figurative  ways  of  speaking  are  very 
consistent  with  many  other  expressions  in  holy 
scripture.  As,  when  Christ  is  called  a  Rock,  or 
calls  himself  a  Shepherd,  a  Door,  the  Way,  or  a 
Vine  ;  no  man  ever  imagined  any  of  these  could 
be  understood  literally,  but  figuratively.  When 
Joseph  said,  in  the  interpretation  of  Pharaoh's 
dream,  "  The  seven  good  kine  are  seven  years, 
and  the  seven  good  ears  are  seven  years,*"  he 
meant  they  represented,  or  signified,  seven  years. 

In  the  same  language,  the  bread  and  wine  are 
the  symbols,  the  memorials,  or  representations 
of  the  broken  body  and  shed  blood  of  Christ : 
they  are  neither  of  them  a  complete  sacrament 
without  the  other.    It  is  absurd  to  say,  u  That 

•  Gen.  xli.  26,  7K 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  13 

>A  the  bread  or  wafer,  by  itself,  as  representing 
"  the  body,  is  a  sacrament,  because  the  body 
"  contains  the  blood;"  for  this  sacrament  is  in- 
stituted in  commemoration  of  the  blood  shed 
out  of,  or  from  the  body  ;  and,  therefore,  with- 
out the  cup,  his  crucifixion  is  imperfectly  re- 
presented. We  may  add,  that  both  kinds  were 
appointed  by  the  same  authority  ;  and,  if  there 
be  any  difference  made  in  the  New  Testament, 
the  greatest  stress  seems  to  be  laid  upon  the 
blood, *  which  was  the  life,  and  given  to  be  the 
sacrifice. 

The  Apostle  adds,  ver.  26.  "  As  often  as  ye 
"  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  shew 
"  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come:"  That  is,  shew 
forth  the  truth  of  it,  and  our  own  belief  in  it.  So 
xhat,  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  we  not  only  com- 
memorate Christ,  that  was  crucified ;  but  we 
also  profess  our  faith  in  his  resurrection,  and 
our  hope  of  his  coming  to  judgment.  "  For  he 
li  liveth,  though  he  was  dead,  and  is  alive  for 
ki  evermore,  and  hath  the  keys  of  death,  and  of 
11  the  grave."  And  therefore,  this  ordinance  is, 
in  its  own  nature,  the  memorial  of  his  love,  and 
a  pledge  of  his  second  coming. 

He  adds,  ver.  27.  "  Whosoever  therefore,  shall 
41  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup  of  the  Lord 
"  unworthily,  shall  be  guiltv  of  the  body  and 
M  blood  of  the  Lord." 

The  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord  signify  the 
death  of  Christ.  For  he  saith  himself,  of  the 
bread,  "  This  is    my  body,"    and  of  the  cup, 


*  Eph.  5,7.  Col.  i.  20.  Heb.  ix.  14.  1  Pet.  i.  19.  1  John  i.  7 


14  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

"  This  is  my  blood;"  that  is,  they  represent 
the  death  which  he  suffered  for  the  remission  of 
sin.  To  eat  and  drink  unworthily,  if  restrict- 
ed to  the  Corinthians,  refers  to  that  proud  and 
uncharitable,  that  intemperate  and  irreverent 
manner,  in  which  they  partook  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  for  which  the  Apostle  finds  fault  with 
them. 

To  be  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
Jjord,  is  a  strong  figurative  expression,  like  Heb. 
vL  6.  "  they  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of 
"  God  afresh,  and  put  him  to  an  open  shame  :" 
And,  Heb.  x.  29.  u  they  count  the  blood  of  the 
"  covenant  an  unholy  thing :"  That  is,  those 
who  turned  back  to  Judaism,  from  the  profes- 
sion of  the  gospel,  behaved  towards  Christ  as  if 
he  had  been  an  impostor,  and  had  been  justly 
put  to  death.  So  that  the  restricted  meaning 
will  be,  that  their  behaviour  at  the  Lord's 
Supper  was  a  great  indignity  to  the  death  of 
Christ,  which  that  institution  was  meant  to  com- 
memorate. 

But  as  the  Apostle  speaks  of  the  time  that  is 
to  come,  and  says,  "  Whosoever  shall  eat  this 
"  bread,  or  drink  this  cup  of  the  Lord  unwor- 
"  thily,  shall  be  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
"  the  Lord;"  and  what  he  wrote  was  by  the 
authority  of  Christ,  agreeable  to  what  he  had 
received  from  him  :  it  seems  reasonable  to 
understand  him  as  establishing  a  law  with  re- 
spect to  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

Good  laws  usually  take  their  rise  from  mis- 
behaviour and  ill  conduct  in  the  subjects.  Thus, 


15 

from  Peter's  rebuking  his  master,  when  he  fore- 
told  that  he  was  himself  to  suffer  and  be  cruci- 
fied *,  our  Lord  warns  them  against  the  dan- 
ger of  being  ashamed  of  him,  or  denying  him 
before  men.  From  the  Pharisees  maliciously 
insinuating  f,  "  that  by  Beelzebub,  the  prince 
"  of  the  devils,  he  did  cast  out  devils,"  he  point- 
ed out  to  them  the  great  guilt  of  blasphemy  a- 
gainst  the  Holy  Ghost. 

In  like  manner,  from  the  irreligious  and  of- 
fensive behaviour  of  the  Corinthians,  the  Apos- 
tle took  occasion  to  declare  to  men,  the  danger 
of  eating  and  drinking  unworthily  ;  and,  there- 
fore, with  great  propriety  may  he  be  under- 
stood as  warning  us  against  every  improper 
and  unworthy  manner  of  partaking  of  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

He  says,  u  They  eat  and  drink  judgment  to 
"  themselves  ;"  by  their  irreligious  behaviour 
they  offended  God.  He  mentions  also  the  pu- 
nishment which  had  been  inflicted  on  some  of 
them  already,  for  their  guilt.  Many  were  visited 
with  sickness  and  distress,  and  some  with  death : 
"  For  this  cause  many  are  weakly,  and  sick  a- 
'•  mong  you,  and  many  sleep." 

It  is  very  observable,  that,  in  this  institution, 
the  wisdom  of  God  hath  followed  the  same  me- 
thod, in  which  he  hath  thought  fit  to  instruct 
mankind  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  :  For 
when,  at  any  time,  Almighty  God  hath  conde- 
scended to  speak  of  himself  to  the  sons  of  men, 
as  we  are  averse  to  think  of  spiritual  things,  and 


*  Mark  viii.  30—58.         f  Math.  xii.  24.  31,  32. 


16  THE. NATURE   AND  USE 

incapable  of  forming  any  proper  conception  ot 
them,  but  by  some  helps,  or  analogy  to  sensible 
objects,  therefore  he  hath  never  given  us  any 
sublime  description  of  his  nature  and  essence, 
which,  very  probably,  we  could  not  have  com- 
prehended ;  but  chose  rather  to  be  known  to  us 
by  some  memorable  work,  or  some  affectionate 
relation  in  which  he  stood  to  the  sons  of  men. 
Thus,  to  the  patriarchs  he  was  known  as  "  the 
"  Creator  of  the  heavens,  and  of  the  earth:"  To 
the  Israelites,  as  "  the  God  who  brought  them 
"  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  the  house  of 
"  bondage  ;"  and,  to  Christians  he  is  revealed, 
as  "  God,  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
"  Christ." 

We  are  as  careless  to  remember,  as  we  are 
at  first  slow  to  apprehend  spiritual  things ;  and, 
therefore,  has  the  same  wisdom  employed  some 
outward  means,  or  external  signs,  to  bring  these 
important  relations  to  our  remembrance.  Thus, 
to  preserve  the  belief  of  our  dependence  on  him 
as  our  Creator,  and  a  sense  of  the  duties  which 
we  owe  him,  immediately  after  the  creation, 
God  was  pleased  to  set  apart  one  day  in  seven 
for  his  worship.  To  perpetuate  the  memory  of 
their  great  deliverance  from  oppression  and  sla- 
very in  Egypt,  he  ordained  the  passover  to  be 
carefully  observed  by  the  children  of  Israel,  in 
all  their  generations  :  In  the  same  view  is  the 
Lord's  Supper  appointed  to  be  celebrated  in  all 
the  churches  of  Christ,  as  a  memorial  of  his  death 
and  sufferings,  till  he  comes  again.  As  these 
symbols  are  plain  and  significant,  they  are  wise- 


OF   THE   LORD  S   SUPPLi:.  17 

ly  adapted  to  promote  this  great  end  ;  for,  such 
is  our  frame,  that  sensible  emblems,  when  not 
glaring  and  ostentatious,  make  deeper,  and  more 
lasting  impressions  on  our  minds,  than  a  bare 
historical  narrative  of  the  facts  to  be  remember- 
cd.     So  that, 

1st.  The  primary  intent  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
is  to  perpetuate  and  keep  up  the  remembrance  of 
Christ  till  he  come  again  :  "  This  (says  he)  do 
*'  in  remembrance  of  me." 

Herebv  we  are  called  to  remember  how  ex- 
cellent  this  person  is,  who  underwent  all  these 
sufferings  for  us.  w  The  only  begotten  Son  of 
"  God,  *  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory, 
"  the  express  image  of  his  person,  in  whom  are 


•  The  Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament  contain  the  expression 
the  Son  of  God  above  forty  times.  That  Christ,  the  anointed,  that  is 
commissioned,  of  the  Father,  was  also  the  Son  of  God.  appears  to  have 
been  a  leading  article  of  the  Gospel  faith,  and  therefore  these  terms 
were,  we  presume,  well  understood.  If  the  Socinian  interpretation  of 
them,  as  implying  inferiority  and  subjection  be  the  true  one,  it  ought 
not  to  be  rejected,  but  the  meaning  of  this  expression,  should  not  be 
taken  from  the  force  of  such  terms  in  modern  use  ;  it  is  but  fair  that 
their  sense  should  be  sought  for  in  the  book  in  which  we  iind  them, 
the  correct  understanding  of  which  is  the  object  of  all  who  receive  it 
as  the  Word  of  God.  The  term  son  does  not  in  every  instance  imply 
inferiority  ;  we  associate  such  idea,  when  the  son  has  been  in  mino- 
rity and  subjection,  but  the  Son  of  God  is  from  eternity,  he  made  all 
things  and  is  frequently  named  Jehovah  in  the  Old  Testament. 
The  Jews  accused  Christ  of  blasphemy  because  he  called  God  his  Fa- 
ther, which  they  deemed  to  be  the  making  himself  equal  with  God. 
The  word  Son  did  not  import  necessarily  subjection,  otherwise  k 
•would  not  have  been  said,  "  Tho'  he  were  a  Son  yet  learned  he  obe- 
**  dience,"  but  because  he  was  a  Son  therefore  he  yielded  obedience. 
In  like  manner  the  word  son  may  be  used  without  associating  with  ic 
the  idea  of  posteriority,  whatever  maybe  the  case  in  order  of  na'ure, 
God  always  existed  and  never  without  purposing,  his  purposes  are 
therefore  eternal,  and  so  the  Son  is  eternal.  The  meaning  of  the 
word  Son  may  be  collected  from  the  first  chapter  of  the  epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  •<  Being  bv  so  much  more  powerful  faftiluv)  than  the  angel*  > 

G 


18  TI*r  NATURE  AND  USE 

"  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  know- 
as  he  hath  inherited  a  more  excellent  name  than  they  ;  "  (a)  and  that 
name  as  appears  from  the  next  sentence  was  that  of  Son.  Angels 
and  men  may  be  called  sons  by  adoption,  but  he  is  by  inheritance,  by 
nature  such.  Every  name  and  title  found  in  the  New  Testament  may 
be  ascribed  to  Christ,  and  are  so,  and  yet  his  Deity  denied,  because 
as  he  condescended  to  be  a  Mediator,  and  to  assume  our  nature,  he  was 
thus  inferior  to  God,  and  the  Scriptures  which  describe  this  inferio- 
rity are  applied  to  his  character  under  all  circumstances.  But  to  be 
a  Son,  and  begotten  of  the  Father  express  that  his  nature  is  the  same, 
and  that  he  may  be  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  (Z>)  and  con- 
sequently the  same  with  the  Father,  as  a  part  of  the  same  glory,  and 
yet  personally  distinct  as  these  words  shew.  He  was  a  Son  before 
he  was  sent,  or  manifested  and  is  thus  denominated  as  his  personal 
distinction  in  the  ordinance  of  Baptism.  It  is  a  term  like  all  others 
which  we  apply  to  Deity  taken  from  sensible  things,  but  ought  no 
more  to  be  confined  to  his  human  birth  than  the  term  word  to  his  pro- 
phetic character  in  the  first  chapter  of  John,  for  though  he  reveals 
the  Father  yet  he  was  the  Word  in  the  beginning.  Because  it  is  said 
after  a  description  of  the  conception  ;  c)  "  therefore  also  that  holy 
"  thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God," 
it  does  not  follow  that  thereby  he  became  the  Son  of  God,  for  it  was 
thus  he  became  possessed  of  the  human  nature,  nor  even  that  he 
should  be  then  first  called  the  Son  of  God;  for  he  bad  been  frequent- 
ly called  by  this  name  in  prophecy,  the  force  of  that  passage  is  only 
that  by  such  extraordinary  conception  that  which  should  be  born  of 
the  virgin  Mary  should  be  called  by  a  name  long  before  known,  it 
should  be  accounted  that  Divine  person  who  was  from  eternity  the 
Son  of  God. 

It  was  necessary  that  no  less  a  person  should  be  our  Mediator, 
obey  and  die.  The  human  nature  not  the  Divine  could  suffer,  but  the 
Divine  person  suffered,  as  a  man  suffers  when  hisbody,  not  his  soul  is 
diseased.  God  only  has  a  right  to  determine  his  own  worship,  and 
especially  a  vicarious  sacrifice  must  be  by  Divine  and  antecedent  ap- 
pointment :  but  its  whole  importance  did  not  rest  in  appointment, 
otherwise  so  costly  an  one  need  not  have  been  offered,  the  blood  of 
bulls  and  of  goats,  or  a  nominal  sacrifice,  might  have  answered  ;  tho* 
the  law  andjii9tice  required  sufferings  and  death, yet  Godtakes  noplea- 
sure  in  the  miseries  of  others ;  this  was  not  the  principal  end ;  but  be 
governs  the  universe,  his  laws  must  be  obeyed,  his  honour  must  not 
be  compromised,  his  word  must  be  fulfilled  ;  it  was  therefore  neces- 
sary that  a  sacrifice  should  be  made,  which  would  demand  the  atten- 
tion of  the  universe,  and  which  could  not  have  been  affected  by  the 
sufferings  and  death  of  a  mere  creature,  if  it  had  been  innocent,  and 
had  a  right  to  lay  dowry  its  life,  and  power  to  take  it  up  again. 
But  for  the  Creator  and  Lawgiver  to  obey  and  suffer  produces  ti*e 
utmost  respect  for  his  laws,  and  the  greatest  terror  to  the  guilty, 
a  Heb.  i.  4.  b  Heb.  i.  3.  c  Luke  i.  35. 


SUPPER.  19 

•*  ledge,  and  die  fulness  of  die  Godhead  bodi- 
44  ly  :  He  heing  in  the  form  of  God,  took  on 
"  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  became  obe- 
"  dient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
"  cross."  The  dignity  of  his  person  gave  a 
value  to  his  obedience,  and  to  all  his  sufferings. 

This  most  excellent  person  left  all  that  hap- 
piness of  which  he  was  possessed  in  heaven,  and 
came  to  earth  ;  "  the  Word  that  was  God,  was 
"  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us  :"  For  our 
sake,  "  he  became  a  man  of  sorrows,  a  and  ac- 
u  quainted  with  grief:"  After  having  taught 
us  the  terms  of  salvation  and  acceptance  with 
God,  set  before  us  an  edifying  and  perfect  ex- 
ample, and  endured  much  contradiction  of  sin- 
ners against  himself,  he  suffered  a  painful  and 
ignominious  death,  as  an  expiation  for  the  sins 
of  men. 

All  this  he  did  with  cheerfulness  and  con- 
stancy :  All  the  opposition,  hatred  and  reproach 
with  which  he  was  assaulted,  rather  quickened 
his  anxiety  to  have  that  great  undertaking  ac- 
complished. He  neither  failed,  nor  was  discou- 
raged, till  he  could  say,  "  It  is  finished. " 

To  perpetuate  the  belief  of  this  important  e- 
vent  in  the  world,  and  to  preserve  an  affectionate 
and  grateful  remembrance  of  it  on  the  hearts  of 
all  the  disciples  and  followers  of  Christ,  as  a 
principle  of  obedience,  was  the  original  intent 
of  the  Lord's  Supper;  that,  when  we  were 
sinners,  and  enemies,  without  strength  to  res- 
cue ourselves  from  the  guilt  and  dominion 
of  sin,  Christ,  in  due  time,  thus  died  for  th~. 
ungodly. 


20  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

2dly.  The  Lord's  Supper  affords  us  an  oppor- 
tunity of  renewing  and  ratifying  our  covenant 
with  God.  Mercy  and  forgiveness  are  offered, 
in  the  gospel,  to  him  that  believes  and  repents. 
The  terms  on  which  mercy  was  offered,  were 
obtained  by  the  mediation  of  Christ,  and  pur- 
chased by  his  death.  We  are  earl}-  dedicated  to 
God,  on  the  terms  of  this  covenant,  by  baptism  j 
but,  alas  !  in  many  things  we  fail,  and  come 
short  of  the  sacred  obligations  that  were  then 
laid  on  us.  As  these  terms  of  mercy  are  accom- 
modated to  imperfect  men,  who  promise  obedi- 
ence, and  are  in  danger  of  breaking,  or  of  for- 
getting their  vows  ;  the  Lord's  Supper  affords 
an  occasion  of  recollection,  and  an  opportunity 
of  considering  how  we  have  paid  these  vows,  or 
wherein  we  have  failed  in  the  performance  of  the 
duties  which  were  incumbent  on  us,  and  what 
guilt  we  are  chargeable  with  in  the  sight  of  his 
cross.  When  we  are  to  partake  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  it  is  a  very  proper  occasion  of  searching 
and  trying  our  hearts  ;  of  confessing  and  mourn- 
ing over  our  past  transgressions  ;  of  imploring 
the  forgiveness  of  them,  for  the  sake  of  that  pro- 
pitiation, which  this  ordinance  doth  commemo- 
rate ;  of  bringing  ourselves  under  new  and 
stricter  obligations  to  watch  against  temptations, 
and  resolving,  that  wherein  we  have  done  ini- 
quity, by  his  grace,  we  will  do  no  more. 

3dly.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  means  of  main- 
taining communion  with  God.  Sin  forfeited  the 
favour  of  God,  banished  men  from  his  presence, 
and  deprived  us  of  freedom  of  access  to  him. 


21 

To  this  great  privilege  we  are  again  restored  by 
Jesus  Christ,  and  now  have  access  to  the  Father 
by  him.  Almighty  God  hath  thought  fit  of  his 
great  goodness,  that  this  intercourse  should  be 
carried  on  in  the  use  of  means.  By  them  he 
vouchsafes  to  bestow  on  us,  the  direction  of  his 
Good  Spirit,  the  assistance  of  his  grace,  the  com- 
forts of  his  love,  the  pledges  and  foretastes  of 
eternal  life. 

The  ordinance  of  the  Supper  is  a  powerful 
means  of  maintaining  this  communion,  and  of 
conveying  these  blessings  to  the  children  of 
God.  "  The  cup  of  blessings  (saith  the  holy 
"  Apostle)  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  commu- 
"  nion  of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The  bread  which 
"  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body 
"  of  Christ  *:?"  that  is,  the  means  of  conveying 
to  us  the  blessings  purchased  by  the  sufferings 
of  Christ. 

It  must  be  acknowledged,  if  there  be  no  such 
thing  as  real  communion  with  God,  many  ex- 
pressions in  holy  scripture  can  have  no  determi- 
nate meaning  at  all.  As  when  the  Psalmist  says, 
"  As  the  hart  pan teth  after  the  water  brooks,  so 
M  panteth  my  soul  for  God,  the  living  God  f. — 
"We  shall  be  satisfied  with  the  fatness  of  thy 
"  house,  even  of  thy  holy  place  :  thou  wilt  pro- 
"  vide  for  them  drink  of  the  rivers  of  thy  plea- 
"  sure  J. — Then  shall  I  run  the  way  of  thy  com- 
"  mandments,    when   thou    shalt    enlarge    my 

"  heart  §."  Saith  our  Lord  himself,  "  He  that 

-  ■ 

•  1  Cor.  x.  16.         f  Psalm  xlii.  1.  2.         \  Psalm  xxxvi.  8.  9. 

♦  Psalm  cxix.  32. 


22  "SHE  NATURE  AND  USE 

V  lovetb  mc,  shall  be  loved  of  my  Father,  and  I 
"  will  love  him,  and  manifest  myself  to  him.  If 
lC  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words;  my 
"'  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  un- 
H  to  him,  and  make  our  abode  with  him  *." 
And,  since  he  ascended  into  heaven,  he  saith  to 
the  church,  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and 
"  knock  :  If  any  man  will  hear  my  voice,  and 
'c  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  and  sup  with 
*?  him,  and  he  with  me  f."  This  is,  indeed, 
the  hidden  manna  of  God,  which  the  world 
knoweth  not ;  a  stranger  doth  not  intermeddle 
with  this  joy  ! 

4thly,  The  Lord's  Supper  is  intended  as  a 
means  of  our  improvement  in  holiness,  and  all 
the  other  graces  of  the  Christian  life.  This  is 
called  feeding  on  Christ.  He  calls  himself  the 
bread  of  life :  That  is  to  say,  the  blessings 
which  he  hath  brought  and  purchased,  and  be- 
stows on  us,  are  as  necessary  to  the  happiness 
of  the  soul,  as  bread  is  to  the  nourishment  of  our 
bodies. 

The  soul  is  spiritual,  and  stands  in  need  of 
spiritual  food  ;  that  is,  of  light  to  direct  us  in  the 
road  of  our  duty,  and  of  assistance  to  perform 
it;  of  courage  to  persevere  in  the  course' of  a 
holy  obedience  ;  and  strength  to  resist  tempta- 
tions. We  all  agree,  that  the  growth  and  pro- 
gress of  every  thing  depend  on  the  concurrence 
of  providence,  and  life  conveyed  to  it,  according 
to  those  laws  which  God  hath  established  in  the 
natural  world.  There  seems  from  revelation,  to 

'-"r]chnxW.21.23.  +  R«v.iil  20. 


or  the  lord's  supper.  23 

he  the  same  reason  for  believing,  that  there  are 
means  established  in  the  moral  world,  for  culti- 
vating and  cherishing  the  seeds  of  virtue  and 
goodness  in  the  soul,  which  shall,  at  last,  spring 
up  to  everlasting  life. 

God  is  best  judge  what  these  means  should 
be  ;  the  use  of  them  is  our  duty  ;  our  employ- 
ing them  expresses  our  sense  of  our  dependence 
on  God,  and  our  obedience  to  his  command- 
ments. No  means  could  be  more  adapted  to 
promote  our  improvement  in  all  the  graces  of 
the  Christian  life  than  the  Lord's  Supper.  What 
could  tend  more  to  strengthen  and  establish  our 
faith  in  the  gospel,  than  to  partake  of  the  memo- 
rials of  the  death  of  Christ,  and  see  him,  as  it 
were,  set  forth  crucified  before  our  eyes  ;  and  to 
call  to  remembrance,  that,  as  certainly  as  we  eat 
this  bread,  and  drink  of  this  cup,  Jesus,  the  Son 
of  God,  suffered  for  our  sins  ?  What  could  more 
contribute  to  encrease  our  love  to  God,  than  our 
being  thus  brought  to  remember  that  God  so 
loved  us,  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son  to  the 
death  for  us.  The  same  holy  institution  clear- 
ly shows  us  the  evil  of  sin,  that  was  expiated  at 
so  dear  a  rate,  as  the  precious  blood  of  the  Son 
of  God.  How  dangerous  then  must  the  state  of 
the  impenitent  sinner  be  ?  In  a  word,  nothing 
could  be  a  greater  check  to  all  hatred,  or  re- 
venge, against  our  brethren,  or  a  more  power- 
ful motive  to  forgive  their  trespasses,  than  our 
seeing,  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  how  God,  for 
Christ's  sake,  hath  forgiven  us.  This  native  ten- 
dency in  the  ordinance,  is  the  wise  constitution 


24  THE  NATURE   AND  USE 

of  the  High  Priest  of  our  profession.  And  to 
these  means,  seriously  and  devoutly  used,  God 
addeth  his  blessing  to  make  them  effectual.  For 
whoever  planteth,  or  watereth,  it  is  God  that  gi- 
veth  the  increase. 

So  that,  from  the  supper  of  our  Lord,  the  de- 
vout Christian  may  hope  to  derive  strength  to 
resist  temptation,  assistance  to  put  his  best  reso- 
lutions in  practice,  and  to  enable  him  to  hold  on 
in  the  road  that  leads  to  everlasting  life.  And 
if  our  blessed  Lord  hath  assured  us,  that  our 
heavenly  Father  is  ready,  even  in  answer  to  our 
secret  prayers,  to  grant  good  gifts,  or  his  Holy 
Spirit,  to  them  that  ask  him  #,  much  more  may 
we  conclude,  will  he  grant  those  blessings  o£ 
which  we  stand  in  need,  when,  with  devout  and 
penitent  hearts,  we  implore  them  over  that  sacri- 
fice of  a  sweet  smelling  savour,  which  is  the  pur- 
chase of  them  all  f-  He  who  denied  us  not 
the  greater  gift,  will  not  refuse  to  give  the  les- 
ser. "  He  who  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but 
freely  delivered  him  up  to  the  death  for  us  all, 
how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all 
things  ?" 


J  A  Sacrament  is  an  holy  Ordinance,  in  which 
some  sensible  thing,  or  things,  are,  by  divine 
institution,  to  be  used  as  a  sign  and  seal  of  the 
privileges,  mercies,  and  engagements  of  the  co- 
venant of  grace  between  God  and  his  people. — 

*  Marrh.  vii.  9.         f  Rom.viii.  32. 
J  The  following  is  taken  from  the  Rev.  John  Blair's  Essays  en 
ibe  Subject. 


OF  THE  LORDS  SUPPER.  26 

A  Sign  is  something,  which,  by  its  presence  or 
use.  suggests  or  represents  something  else  to 
the  mind.  This  must  therefore  be  some  sensi- 
ble visible  thing.  The  sign  in  a  Sacrament  is 
not  a  natural,  but  arbitrary  sign  :  it  has  no  na- 
tural necessary  connexion  with  the  thing  sig- 
nified :  but  its  connexion  is  by  institution  for 
that  purpose. — Written  covenants  among  mem 
are  confirmed  by  adding  a  bit  of  wax  impressed 
with  the  character  of  a  seal,  which  is,  by  a  par- 
ticular action  and  express  declaration,  acknow- 
ledged, and  is  therefore  called  a  seal.  When  this 
is  done,  the  covenant  cannot  be  revoked  but  by 
the  consent  and  deed  of  both  parties  :  without 
which,  their  engagements  to  each  other  stand 
good,  and  in  full  force.  Now  if  any  other  sign 
or  thing,  attended  with  significant  actions,  be 
appointed  for  the  same  purpose,  it  is  called  by 
the  same  name.  Thus  the  elements  of  Water, 
in  Baptism,  and  Bread  and  Wine  in  the  Lord's 
Supper,  are  called  Seals,  because  when  used  ac- 
cording to  their  institution,  they  have  the  same 
efficacy  with  respect  to  the  covenant  of  grace? 
that  there  is  in  seals  annexed  to  written  cove- 
nants among  men. — Thus  then  some  sensible 
sign,  its  separation  and  appointment  to  its  pro- 
per purpose,  and,  in  consequence  thereof,  its 
significancy  and  efficacy  as  a  sign  and  seal  of 
the  covenant  of  grace,  all  concur  to  the  consti- 
tution of  a  Sacrament.  This  is  the  view  of  the 
matter  which  the  Scriptures  give  us :  thus  Gen. 
xvii.  10,  11.  This  is  my  covenant : — every  man- 
child  among  you  shall  be  circumcised. — And  it 


26  THE  NATURE  AND    USE 

shall  be  a  token  of  the  covenant  betwixt  you 
and  me*  It  shall  be  a  token,  or  sign :  it  shall 
suggest  to  your  minds  the  necessity  of  your  be- 
ing cut  off  from  the  old  stock,  and  engrafted  in- 
to Christ  Jecus,  the  living  Vine ;  and  that  the 
foreskin  of  your  hearts,  their  natural  hardness 
and  stubbornness,  must  be  taken  away,  and  turn- 
ed to  the  Lord.  (See  Jer.  iv.  4.  Rom.  ii.  28,  29.) 
It  is  also  a  sign  or  token  of  the  existence  of  the 
covenant.  The  tenor  of  the  covenant,  was  the 
promises  made  to  Abraham  in  v.  4,  5,  6,  7,  8. 
see  also  Gal.  iii.  14 — 16.  Yet  circumcision  is 
called  the  Covenant,  v.  10.  Which  can  only 
mean,  that  the  promises  of  the  covenant  are  con- 
firmed by  it.  Hence  the  apostle  uses  the  terms 
Promises,  and  Covenant,  promiscuously  ;  and 
observes,  that  the  covenant  was  confirmed  be- 
fore of  God  in  Christ:  viz.  to  Abraham,  by 
circumcision.  Gal.  iii.  17.  And  the  apostle  calls 
it  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith.  Rom. 
iv.  11. 

Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  agree  in  the 
general  nature  of  a  Sacrament,  as  above  descri- 
bed. Yet,  they  differ  not  only  in  the  external 
elements,  (without  which  they  could  not  be  two 
Sacraments)  but  in  sundry  other  considerable 
respects.  As  1st  Baptism  is  an  initial  common- 
strati ve  *  sign  and  seal,  which  visibly  denotes 
the  existence  of  God's  covenant  between  him 
and  the  baptized  party,  and  their  entrance  into 
the   school  of  Christ  as  his  disciples ;  and  by 

*  A  Commonstrative  Sign,  is  that  which  denotes  the  presence  cf 
the  thing  signified. 


27 

which  their  visible  membership  in  the  church 
is  publickly  ratified.  This  ratification  of  mem- 
bership in  the  church  of  Christ  as  his  visible 
disciples,  is  in  Scripture  attributed  to  this,  and 
never  to  the  other  Sacrament.  Thus  Matt. 
xxviii.  19,  20.  Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  f  all 
nations;  and  then  take  care  of  and  treat  them  as 
disciples,}  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things, 
whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you  ;  they  are 
hereby  bound  and  engaged  to  observe  and  at- 
tend upon  all  ordinances  and  duties. 

The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  commemorative  sign, 
wherein  persons  recollect  and  recognize  their 
engagements  to  be  the  Lord's,  previously  enter- 
ed into  in  the  initiating  Sacrament  of  Baptism  \ 
and  especially  commemorate,  and  improve  the 
sufferings  and  death  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Persons  Church- membership  is  pre-supposed 
in,  and  pre- requisite  to  their  access  to  this  Sa- 
crament. Hence  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism  is 
only  once  to  be  administered  to,  and  received  by 
the  same  subject.  For,  from  what  has  been 
observed,  it  appears,  that  by  one  administration 
it  obtains  its  whole  effect.  Membership  in  the 
Church  of  Christ  admits  not  of  degrees  ;  a  per- 
son is  either  a  member  or  no  member  of  the 
Church  ;  there  is  no  ground  in  Scripture  or  rea- 
son for  the  distinction  of  imperfect  or  perfect 
members,  members  in  a  passive  and  active  state 
as  different  sorts  of  members,  the  same  member 
may  have  very  different  degrees  of  capacity  for 

the   discharge  of  the  duties  and  enjoyment  of 

.  ~  ■  ■  ■     ',■     ~* 


28  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

the  privileges  of  a  member,  but  he  is  the  same 
member  still.  An  infant  member  cannot  exer- 
cise knowledge,  nor  perform  duty,  nor  in  child- 
hood can  he  perform  duties,  which  require  de- 
grees of  knowledge  above  his  capacity  ;  but  yet 
still  he  is  truly  a  member,  training  up  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  I  would 
ask  what  is  done  to  persons  in  their  passive 
state,  viz.  Infancy,  when  they  are  baptized. 
Are  they  not  separated  from  the  world,  and  de- 
dicated to  God  as  his  peculiar  property  ?  Are 
they  not  brought  under  the  bond  of  God's  co- 
venant, and  under  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel 
or  means  of  grace,  as  they  become  capable  of 
instruction  r  Are  they  not  really  bound,  and 
that  so  as,  upon  its  being  duly  laid  before  them, 
their  consciences  must  feel  the  obligation,  to 
cleave  to  God  in  Christ,  to  perform  all  chris- 
tian duties,  and,  among  the  rest,  to  renew  their 
covenant  engagements  at  the  Lord's  Table, 
But  do  they,  by  approaching  the  Lord's  Table, 
acquire  a  new  state  of  membership  ?  In  what 
Scripture  is  that  declared  ?  I  would  further  ask, 
whether  an  adult  person,  when  baptized,  is  a 
perfect  member,  or  only  imperfect,  a  member 
in  embrio  ?  If  the  latter,  then,  the  matter  does 
not  turn  upon  the  difference  between  the  pas- 
sive and  active  state,  and  so  that  distinction 
must  be  given  up;  but  the  imperfection  of  his 
membership  must  arise  from  an  insufficiency  in 
the  sacrament  of  Baptism  to  ratify  it,  that  is,  it 
is  not  sufficient  to  ratify  what  it  is  expressly  ap- 
pointed to  ratify,  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  which  is  ab- 


OF   THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  29 

surd ;  but  if  the  former,  then  there  is  perfect 
membership  by  baptism,  previous  to  coming  to 
the  Lord's  table.  Therefore  also,  baptism  so 
confirms  Church-membership  to  an  infant,  as  to 
maintain  and  make  good  his  title,  as  he  arrives 
to  capacity  of  enjoyment ;  for  its  efficacy  takes 
place  after,  as  well  as  at  the  time  of  administra- 
tion, even  through  the  whole  course  of  life. 
Thus,  though  a  baptized  person  should  not  be 
regenerated  and  united  to  Christ  by  a  saving 
faith  until  old  age ;  yet,  thereupon  his  baptism, 
which  he  received  in  infancy,  seals  his  ingraft- 
ing into  Christ,  and  personal  interest  in  the  spe- 
cial blessings  of  the  covenant,  otherwise,  where 
is  the  great  advantage  of  infant  baptism  ?  Hence 
also,  it  appears  how  groundless  and  unreasona- 
ble the  distinction,  which  obtains  in  many  pla- 
ces, between  the  church  and  the  congregation. 
By  this  means,  the  greater  part  of  worshipping 
societies  are  excluded  from  the  care  and  disci- 
pline of  the  church,  and  yet  are,  in  some  re- 
spects, treated  as  members,  in  being  admitted 
to  dedicate  their  children  to  God  in  Baptism  : 
there  is  great  inconsistency  in  these  things.  But 
to  return  :  from  the  very  nature  of  a  commemo- 
rative sign,  it  is  evident  it  is  designed  to  affect  the 
heart  by  frequently  bringing  to  remembrance 
the  things  signified;  therefore  must  be  frequent- 
ly used  for  that  purpose.  Hence,  as  the  Sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  such,  therefore 
it  must  be  often  celebrated  by  the  same  per- 
sons. They  are  to  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this 
cup  of  the  Lord  often.    1  Cor.  xi.  -i6. 

D 


20  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

These -two  JSacraments  differ  .with  respect  to 
some  of  their  subjects.  Actual  exercise,  and  a 
competent  knowledge  of  the  nature  of  the  ordi- 
nance and  transactions  required,  for  which  a  pro- 
per degree  of  natural  capacity  is  requisite,  are 
indispensably  necessary  to  an  attendance  on  the 
Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Without  this, 
it  could  not  be  to  persons  what  it  is,  viz.  a  com- 
memorative sign ;  its  subserviency  to  its  end, 
is  from  the  impression  it  is  calculated  to  make 
on  the  heart,  in  attending  upon  it;  but  as  cir- 
cumcision of  old,  so  baptism,  which  succeeds  it 
now,  is  to  be  administered  to  infants,  born  of 
professing  parents. 

The  Sacraments  are  public  signs  and  seals 
of  the  covenant  of  grace,  as  transacted  between 
the  blessed  God  and  his  church  as  such.  The 
covenant  of  grace,  is  the  great  and  glorious  char- 
ter, by  which  Jehovah  has  erected  and  consti- 
tuted his  church.*  She  stands  related  to  him, 
and  interested  in  him  by  covenant,  Ezek.  xvi. 
ft.  JVow  when  I  passed  by  thee,  and  looked  upon 
thee,  behold  thy  time  zvas  a  time  of  love*  and  I 
spread  my  skirt  over  thee,  and  covered  thy  na- 
kedness :  y-ea,  I  sivare  unto  thee,  and  thou  be- 
comest  mine.  Hence  it  is,  that  the  church  is  so 
repeatedly  considered  in  Scripture,  as  married 
to  the  Lord.  It  is  a  marriage  covenant.  This 
I  think,  is  the  primary  view  of  the  covenant  of 
grace,  as  thus  represented  ,and  confirmed   by 

*  The  covenant  of  grace  is  that  which  was  made  with  Christ,  and 
in  him  faith  all  the  elect  as  his  seed  ;  yet  it  may  well  be  termed  als© 
,tfie  charter  of  privileges  upon  which  the  churcii  is  founded. 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  31 

sign  and  seal  y  and  it  comprehends  all  the  per- 
sonal  interests  of  individuals,  as  members  of  the 
body  of  Christ,  and  belonging  to  that  Society, 
in  ail  God's  covenant-transactions  with  men ;  of 
which  we   have  an  account  in  Scripture  :  the 
persons,  with  whom  he  immediately  transacted, 
are  not  to  be  considered  in  a  strict  or  abstract 
personal  capacity,  but  as  members  of  society, 
or  as  including  the  church.  Thus  when  the  gra- 
cious God  opened  and  established  his  covenant 
with  our  first  parents  after  the  fall,  (Gen.  iii. 
15.)  they  were  then  the  church  of  God,  and  the 
stock  from  whence  it  was  to  be  propagated.   In 
the  covenant-transaction  with  Abraham,  he  is 
considered  as  the  father  of  many  nations,  Gen. 
xvii.  5.    The  church  is  set  up  in  his  house,  his 
family,  yea,  the  whole,  both  Jewish  and  Chris- 
tian church  are  included,  Rom.  iv.  10 — 13.  Gal. 
iii.  14 — 16.    None  of  the  promises  of  the  cove- 
nant are  directed  to  any  who  are  out  of  the 
church.    All  who  are  aliens  to  the  common- 
wealth of  Israel,  are  strangers  to  the  covenants 
of  promise,  Eph.  ii.  12»    The  promises  do  in- 
deed describe  particular  characters,  and  point 
out  particular  conditions  and  circumstances  of 
God's  people,  to  which  they  are  accommodated. 
Hence  each  of  the  persons  of  those  characters, 
and   in   such  condition  or  circumstances,  may 
claim  a  personal  interest  in  such  promises.    Yet 
this  is  not  by  virtue  of  any  personal  direction 
of  the  promise  ;  but  he  pleads  it  as  comprehen- 
ded in  the  church,  and  belonging  to  the  charac- 
ter described.    Yea,  there  are  promises  which 


o2  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

cannot  be  claimed  by  the  particular  persons 
whose  character  and  case  they  point  out;  but 
can  be  pleaded  only  by  the  Church.  Thus, 
Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,  27.  A  new  heart  also  will  I 
give  yoiiy  and  a  new  spirit  also  will  I  put  with- 
in you,  and  I  will  take  the  stony  heart  out  of  your 
flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh,  and 
I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you  ;  and  cause  you 
to  walk  in  my  statutes.  Here  the  character  point- 
ed out  is  that  of  the  unregenerate  :  but  surely 
the  promise  cannot  be  considered  as  directed  to 
that  character.  For  then  the  blessed  God  would 
stand  engaged  by  promise,  to  all  of  that  charac- 
ter, to  give  them  regenerating  grace,  and  each 
one  might  claim  it  as  that  which  God  could  not 
refuse  consistently  with  his  faithfulness,  or  with- 
out denying  himself:  but  the  faith  of  the  church 
may  rest  upon  it,  and  she  may  plead  it  as  a  pro- 
mise of  God's  presence  in  her  with  his  own  or- 
dinances, for  the  purpose  of  regenerating  sin- 
ners :  and  in  every  instance  of  their  conversion, 
God  is  fulfilling  that  promise  to  his  church. 
Sinners  are,  indeed,  hence  encouraged  to  call 
upon,  to  cry  to  God  for  grace,  and  to  attend  up- 
on the  means  of  grace,  but  they  can  foundjio  claim 
upon  it.  Hence  we  may  see,  that  to  have  mat- 
ter of  encouragement,  and  to  have  a  ground  of 
confidence  and  claim,  are  not  the  same  thing,  as 
some  seem  strangely  to  imagine. 

The  church  of  Christ  is  usually,  and  very 
properly,  distinguished  into  visible  and  invisi- 
ble. By  the  invisible  church  is  meant,  the  whole 
number  of  true  beiievers  wherever  they  are.  All 


these  are,  by  a  vital  union  with  Christ  by  faith, 
savingly  interested  in  the  covenant  of  Grace;  in 
God  as  their  God,  and  in  all  spiritual  blessings. 
But  their  consent  to  the  covenant,  and  their  re- 
lation to  God  thereby,  is  altogether  invisible, 
and  known  only  to  God  and  their  own  conscien- 
ces. These  are  called  a  church,  because  they 
are  members  of  Christ  by  a  common  union  with 
him,  and  stand  united  with,  and  related  to  each 
other  in  one  body  in  a  church  state,  as  they  are 
included  in  the  catholic  visible  church. 

The  visible  church  consists  of  all  those,  who 
by  an  external  profession  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
gospel,  and  subjection  to  the  laws  and  ordinan- 
ces of  Christ,  appear  as  a  society  separated  from 
the  world,  and  dedicated  to  God  and  his  service. 
In  this  view,  in  this  imperfect  state,  the  church 
comprehends  branches  that  are  withered,  as  well 
as  those  that  bear  fruit.  Now  the  covenant  of 
grace  subsists  between  the  blessed  God  and  the 
church,  as  such  a  visible  society,*  and  is  ren- 
dered visible  by  a  visible  transaction,  and  exter- 
nal administration  in  various  ordinances;  and 
comprehends  sundry  external  privileges  for  the 
advantage  and  spiritual  edification  of  the  church. 

*  In  no  other  way  can  we  conceive  the  covenant  to  subsist  between 
God  and  believers  as  a  church.  In  ihe  exercise  of  faith,  believers 
have  union  to,  and  communion  with  Jesus  Christ ;  but  by  this  alone, 
they  could  have  no  fellowship  with  one  another:  for  each  one  could 
only  be  conscious  of  his  own  exercise  of  faith,  and  couid  have  no  so- 
ciety with  any  other  therein.  Whatever  real  relation  to  each  other 
is  founded  in  their  common  union  to  Christ,  yet  they  could  not  at  all 
perceive  it.  They  wculd  be  members  of  Christ,  but  utterly  detached 
from  each  other,  and  so  not  formally  a  body.  It  is  only  as  incorpo- 
rated in  the  visible  church,  that  they  are  fitly  placed  in  the  body,  and 
can  have  any  knowledge  one  of  another,  and  to  have  any  fellowship. 
D  2 


34         -  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

Here  are  not  two  covenants,  one  for  the  invi- 
sible church,  and  another  for  the  visible  ;  for 
these  are  not  two  churches,  but  a  two-fold  consi- 
deration of  the  same  church,  though  undoubtedly 
considered  as  visible,  she  includes  more  mem- 
bers thanthe  real  subjects  of  saving  grace. — The 
visible  church  includes  the  invisible.  Where- 
ever  there  is  a  true  visible  church,  there  are,  no 
doubt,  a  number  of  true  saints;  from  these  as 
the  better  part,  the  visible  church  is  denomina- 
ted :  by  their  faith,  the  church  lays  hold  on  the 
covenant,  and  her  covenant  relation  to  God  is 
maintained,  and  all  visible  believers  share  in  her 
external  privileges,  whatever  their  real  internal 
state  be.  Accordingly  then  one  and  the  same 
covenant,  comprehends  the  whole  interests  of 
the  church  considered  both  as  visible  and  invi- 
sible, with  respect*to  internal,  special,  spiritual 
blessings,  and  external  privileges.  The  great 
God  stands  related  to  the  invisible  church,  by 
virtue  of  this  covenant,  as  her  God  by  way  o£ 
special  interest  in  him,  and  by  the  same  cove- 
nant to  the  visible  church,  as  visibly  her  God 
and  Lord. 

It  is  the  covenant  of  grace  in  this  view,  viz.  as 
visibly  subsisting  between  God  and  his  church, 
considered  as  a  visible  society,  a  public  body 
separated  and  distinguished  from  the  world,  and 
dedicated  to  God,  that  the  Sacraments  are  an- 
nexed as  visible  signs  and  seals  thereof.  To  this 
purpose  I  would  observe,  that  when  it  pleased 
God  first  to  set  up  his  church  in  Adam's  family, 
the  whole  was  included.    As  there  were  none 


OF  THE  LORD  S  SUPPER.  M 

from  whom  to  separate  and  distinguish  his 
church,  the  Lord  saw  fit  then  to  propose  his  co- 
venant more  obscurely,  and  designing  that  as  a 
more  imperfect  dispensation,  he  only  taught 
them  by  sacrifices,  thereby  shadowing  forth  the 
redemption  of  sinners  by  Jesus  Christ.  When 
mankind  greatly,  though  gradually  degenerated, 
as  he  was  not  gathering  his  church  out  of  the 
world,  but  men  went  out  of  the  church,  he  did 
not  still  see  fit  to  appoint  any  public  badge  of 
distinction  :  but  upon  a  general  apostacy,  he  de- 
stroyed the  old  world,  and  the  church  continued 
to  exist  in  Noah's  family.  Thus  he  was  pleased 
as  it  were,  to  give  a  new  edition  of  his  church, 
and  the  whole  world  was  again  included  in  it. 
But  when  mankind  had  again  generally  revolted 
and  turned  aside  to  idolatry,  having  promised 
and  confirmed  it  by  his  bow  in  the  cloud,  that 
he  would  no  more  destroy  the  world ;  he  saw 
proper  to  call  Abraham  out  from  amongst  his 
kindred,  and  erect  his  church  in  his  family. 
Here  the  blessed  God  more  fully  opens  his  great 
plan,  more  explicitly  proposes  his  covenant,  and 
solemnly  transacts  it  with  Abraham,  not  as  a 
private  person,  but  as  the  father  of  many  na- 
tions ;  comprising  therein,  not  only  his  family- 
then  in  being,  but  both  the  Jewish  and  Chris- 
tian church.  It  was  proper,  that  a  matter  of  sq 
great  and  extensive  importance,  should  be  trans- 
acted with  peculiar  solemnity,  and  that  there 
should  be  some  public  badge  of  distinction  be- 
tween  the  church  thus  separated  to  him,  and  the 
world.   God  was  pleased,  therefore,  to  ratify  his 


3.6  THE  NATURE  AND  tTSE 

covenant,  and  publickly  distinguish  his  visible 
church,  from  the  world,  by  the  sign  of  circum- 
cision, a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith.  To 
distinguish  between  the  church  and  the  world, 
seems  to  be  one  important  design  of  the  initia- 
ting seal  of  the  covenant ;  because  in  that,  a  per- 
son's membership  in  the  church  is  publickly 
declared  and  ratified.  Commemorative  signs, 
such  as  the  passover  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  are 
designed  to  establish,  edify  and  quicken  those 
who  are  in  the  church,  rather  than  to  distinguish 
them  from  those  who  are  without.  But  the  ini- 
tiating seal,  as  circumcision  or  baptism,  though 
it  has  other  ends  in  common  with  the  other  Sa- 
crament ;  yet  is  particularly  designed  as  God's 
mark  set  upon  persons  to  distinguish  them  from 
the  world,  as  his.  Thus  though  he  had  indul- 
ged their  frailties  in  the  omission  of  circumcision, 
while  travelling  in  the  wilderness,*  partly  be- 
cause of  their  continual  journeying,  and  partly 
because  they  were  then  entirely  at  a  distance 
from  all  other  nations  ;  (otherwise  he  could  have 
ordered  them  to  delay  their  journey  for  a  time, 
in  order  to  perform  it;)  yet  when  they  came 
over  Jordan  among  the  Canaanites,  they  must 
not  enter  upon  the  war  until  they  were  circum- 
cised ;  as  also  in  order  to  the  celebration  of  the 
passover.   This  day,  says  the  Lord,  have  I  roll- 


*  I  say  indulged  their  omission,  not  because  he  had  excommuni- 
cated them,  for  he  had  abundantly  shewed  his  care  of,  and  regard  to 
the  congregation  of  Israel  as  still  his  people  ;  and  these  who  were 
uncircumcisedr  were  not  the  subject  of  the  resentful  sentence  God 
had  pronounced,  but  those  who  fell  in  the  wilderness,  upon  whom 
it  was.  fully  executed. 


OF  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  37 

ed  away  the  reproach  of  Egypt  from  off  you,  i. 
e.  your  being  uncircumcised  like  the  Egyptians 
from  amongst  whom  ye  came.  Josh.  v.  9. 

Hence  appears  the  great  impropriety  of  pri- 
vate Baptisms,  unless  where  real  necessity  re- 
quires it.  Seeing  it  is  God's  public  seal,  it 
should  be  publicly  applied ;  as  it  is  a  sign  and 
seal  of  membership  in  the  visible  Church  of 
Christ,  it  should  be  transacted  in  the  face  of  the 
Church. 

Sundry  important  uses  of  the  Sacraments 
have  been  already  suggested  in  the  foregoing 
observations.  Yet  it  may  be  proper  here  to  re- 
collect,  and  more  explicitly  attend  to  them,  to- 
gether with  some  others  not  expressly  mention- 
ed, that  we  may  have  them  more  fully  before  us 
in  one  view. 

As  signs  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace  ;  they 
serve  in  the  first  place,  to  give  divine  truths  a 
more  easy  access  to  the  mind,  with  more  fixed 
impression.  Such  is  the  strange  connexion  be- 
tween soul  and  body  in  the  present  state,  that 
they  mutually  affect  each  other.  The  attention 
and  thoughts  of  the  mind  are  excited  to,  and 
fixed  upon  objects  by  the  exercise  of  the  exter- 
nal senses,  and  by  this  means  it  is  more  deeply 
affected.  Thus,  in  Baptism,  by  the  washing  with 
water,  the  efficacy  of  which  is  to  cleanse,  we  are 
led  to  contemplate  our  guilt  and  moral  pollu- 
tion by  sin,  the  efficacy  of  the  atoning  blood  of 
Christ  to  remove  guilt,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit's 
influences  to  purify  the  heart :  the  excellency, 
freeness  and  abundance  of  the  spiritual  bles- 


38  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

sings,  kr  The  elements  of  Bread  broken  and 
Wine,  whith  was  pressed  from  the  grape  in  the 
Lord's  Supper ;  suggest  to  our  remembrance 
the  painful  anguish  and  violent  death  of  Christ, 
when  his  body  was  broken  on  the  cross,  and 
his  precious  blood  was  shed.  1  Cor.  xi.  26. 
Bread,  which  is  the  staff  of  Life,  and  Wine 
which  chears  the  heart,  points  out  Christ  as  the 
source  of  life,  strength  and  consolation ;  and 
while  many  partake  of  the  same  Bread,  and  the 
same  Cup,  it  denotes  their  communion  with 
one  another,  as  members  of  the  same  body  of 
Christ. 

They  serve  as  visible  signs  of  the  existence 
of  the  covenant  of  grace  between  God  and  his 
people,  and  so  render  their  covenant  relation  to 
God  visible.  Yea.  in  the  participation  of  the  sa- 
craments, the  covenant  is  visibly  transacted ; 
consenting  to  the  covenant,  whereby  persons 
truly  enter  into  it,  is  an  internal  act  of  the  heart, 
invisible,  and  purely  personal,  in  which  there  can 
be  no  social  concurrence  of  the  church.  It  was, 
therefore,  necessary  there  should  be  some  exter- 
ternal  solemnity,  some  visible  transaction,  where- 
by it  sould  be  declared,  rendered  visible,  and 
wherein  the  church  can  unite  and  have  fellow- 
ship. Thus  God  says  of  circumcision,  it 
shall  be  a  token  of  the  covenant  betwixt  me  and 
you.  Gen.  xvii.  11.  Therefore,  these  signs  are 
public  badges  of  distinction  between  the  church 
and  the  world.  They  are,  as  it  were  God's 
mark,  whereby  he  publicly  challenges  the  Church 
as  his,  and  persons  are  visibly  separated  to  his 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  39 

service  ;  and  especially,  in  the  initiating  sa- 
crament one  particular  design  of  which,  is  to 
signify  and  confirm  our  visible  membership  in 
the  Church. 

As  seals  confirming  the  covenant  of  Grace, 
they  primarily  seal  the  truth  and  certainty  of 
Gospel  promises  according  to  their  true  tenor. 
They  confirm  the  certain  connexion  by  divine 
constitution,  between  faith  in  Christ  and  the  par- 
don of  sin,  and  the  vouchsafement  of  all  spiritu- 
al blessings  ;  and  that  in  this  way,  God  will  be 
his  people's  God,  and  not  otherwise.  They  con- 
firm the  obligations  of  the  covenant  upon  all 
those  who  partake  of  them.  They  are  bound 
to  cleave  to  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  to  give 
up  their  hearts  to  God,  and  to  serve  him  in  all 
holy  obedience ;  to  observe  his  statutes,  and  at- 
tend upon  all  his  ordinances.*  Hence  the  offen- 
ces and  disobedience  of  visible  church  members 
are  peculiarly  resented  as  a  breach  of  covenant, 
f  When  persons  do  truly  consent  to  the  cove- 
nant  by  embracing  Jesus  Christ,  then,  and  not 
otherwise,  the  sacrament  seal,  is  a  personal 
saving  interest  in  the  promises  of  the  covenant. 
The  seals  of  the  covenant  confirm  its  promises 
only  as  they  are  proposed,  and  not  as  they  are 
not.  Therefore,  whoever  only  visibly  consents 
to  the  covenant,  but  not  with  the  whole  heart, 
though  the  sacraments  seal  the  truth  and  cer- 
tainty of  the  promises  in  themselves,  for  He 
that  believes  shall  be  saved,  £sfr .    (so    th  i%   the 

•  Matt.xxviii20.        f  Hosvi.  7.  ad.  Fin. 


40  THE  NATURE  AND  USE 

connexion  between  faith  and  salvation  is  ratifi- 
ed, and  sinners  have  sure  ground  to  go  upon 
in  venturing  upon  Christ)  yet  they  do  not  con- 
firm an  interest  in  the  promise  of  salvation  to 
this  person  while  he  does  not  truly  believe ;  but 
when    he  truly  believes,  the  seals  of  the  cove- 
nant,   in   sealing  or  ratifying  the  certain  con- 
nexion between  faith  and  salvation,  consequent- 
ly  seal  his  personal  interest  in  the  promise  of 
salvation  ;    as    being  one  of  the  characters  to 
which  the  promise  is  made  and  ratified.      They 
seal  to  the  church,  as  a  visible  society,  the  ex- 
ternal privileges  of  the  covenant :  such   as  the 
care  and  discipline  of  the  church  over  her  seve- 
ral  members ;    the   ordinances  of  worship  by 
which   the    covenant  is   administered,  a  Gos- 
pel ministry,  and  the  care  of  divine  Providence 
in  correcting  and  in  preserving  protecting  her. 
The  sacraments  are  designed  to  promote  and 
maintain  the  external  purity,   and  visible  holi- 
ness of  the  church,  and  this  they  do  two  ways. 
First,  they  lay  bonds  upon  the  conscience.  Sa- 
cramental transactions  include  in  them  the  most 
solemn  engagements  to  be  the  Lord's,   to  re- 
nounce the  service  of  sin,  and  to  walk   in  the 
wa)  of  God's  commandments.  These   engage- 
ments affect  the  conscience,  and,  at  least,  lay  re- 
straints upon  men,   whereby   they  are  kept  in 
from  the  external  practice  of  sin,  and  excited  to 
practise  the  external  duties  of  religion  :   here- 
by the  visible  reputation   of  religion    is  much 
preserved.   Those    who  look   upon  themselves 
free  from  these   obligations,  though  they  own 


OF  THE  LORDS   SUPPER.  41 

.he  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  to  be  true,  and  would 
rather  claim  the  christian  name  than  any  other, 
yet  more  generally  lire  as  they  list,  and  still  their 
consciences  sleep    pretty   secure  ;  hereby    the 
name  of  God  is  greatly  dishonoured.     I   really 
think,  the  so  general  neglect  of  the  -Lord's  Ta- 
ble much  promotes  this  security  in  the  indulgence 
of  sinful  practices  and  neglect  of  religion.   Peo- 
ple entertain  an  unaccountable  notion,  that  Bap- 
tism, which  they  received  in  infancy,  does  not  so 
deeply  bind  them  to  such  great  strictness  in  the 
ways  of  holiness  ;  and- therefore,  while  they  keep 
back  from  the  other  Sacrament,  they  may  take 
a  greater  latitude.      They  give  existence  and 
efficacy  to  discipline.  In  order  to  the  very  being 
of  Discipline,   there  must  be   something  from 
which   Persons   may  be  debarred,   or  cut  off, 
consistent  with  the  great  design  of  the  Gospel ; 
and  it  must  be  something  of  very  great  impor- 
tance. But  this  cannot  consist  in  debarring  any 
from  hearing  the  word  preached,  and  the  other 
means  of  instruction  ;  for  that  would  be  to  give 
up  with  them  altogether,  and  use  no  more  means 
for  their  conversion.    It  must  therefore  rye  in 
debarring  them  from  the  seals  of  the  covenant, 
till  they  appear  penitent,  where  the  lighter  cen- 
sures,  such   as  admonitions  and  rebukes,   are 
found  ineffectual  or  inadequate,  and  indeed  these 
would  not  be  regarded  as  censures,  if  the  contu- 
macious had  no  higher  to -expect.   The  govern- 
ment of  Christ's  house  could  not  be  kept  up,  if 
there  were  no  penalties  to  he  inflicted  in  hh 
lame.  The  efficacy  of  discipline  lies  in  affecting 


4.J  HIE  NATURE  AND  USE 

and  awing  the  conscience ;  but  what  can  so  ef- 
fectually do  this,  as  suspending  offenders  from 
the  privilege  of  communicating  with  God's  peo- 
ple in  the  seals  of  the  covenant,  either  in  dedica- 
ting their  children  to  God  in  baptism,  or  ap- 
proaching the  Lord's  Table,  until  they  appear, 
in  dealing  with  hirn,  to  be  brought  to  repen- 
tance ?  Or  finally  cutting  them  off,  when  their 
conduct  shall  be  found  such  as  amounts  to  a  full, 
obstinate,  and  avowed  violation  of  their  cove- 
nant obligations  ?  If  they  have  any  regard  to 
Christianity  at  all,  they  will  dread  the  thoughts 
of  being  reduced  to  the  state  of  heathen  men 
and  publicans.  * 

These  holy  ordinances  seem  to  be  instituted 
to  shew.,  that  the  blessed  God  is  not  to  be  put  off 
with  acknowledging  in  general  terms,  the  truth 
of  Gospel  doctrines,  and  that  religion  is  good, 
anjfl  ought  to  be  chosen.  He  demands  our  avow- 
ed choice  of  it,  and  that  we  avouch  the  Lord  for 
our  God.  The  Lord,  by  these  institutions,  as  it 
were,  says,  I  will  bring  the  matter  to  a  point 
■with  you  sinners.  You  acknowledge  me  to  be 
the  only  true  God,  and  that  you  ought  to  serve 
me  ;  come  then  to  a  resolution  on  die  matter. 
Here  are  the  terms  of  salvation,  and  on  which  I 
will  be  your  God,  proposed  to  you  in  a  way  of 
gracious  covenant,  either  accept  or  refuse  ;  en- 
ter into  solemn,  openly  avowed  obligations  to 
me,  or  disown  me,  and  declare  you  will  not  tak£ 
me  for  your  God.     Choose  you  this  day  whom 

*  Cor.  x.  21,  22.    Ch.  v.  3,  4,  5.    2  Cor.  ii.  6,  7,  8. 


of  Trtr.  lord's  supper.  43 

you  will  serve,  the  Lord,  or  your  own  heart's 
lusts.  Either  join  yourselves  openly  to  my 
people,  or  acknowledge  you  will  not  be  of 
them.  Surely,  if  men  viewed  things  in  this  point 
of  light,  it  would  have  a  strong  tendency  to  a- 
waken  them  to  solemn  exercises  of  heart  about 
this  matter. 

The  sacraments  are,  in  a  special  maimer,  cal- 
culated and  designed  to  cherish,  quicken  and 
strengthen  the  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  true 
believers.  They  exhibit  Jesus  Christ  and  him 
crucified,  (the  great  object  of  a  justifying  faith) 
and  the  glorious  blessings  he  has  purchased  to 
the  mind  in  a  very  striking  and  lively  manner. 
Such  pledges  of  the  divine  faithfulness  ;  such 
solemn  confirmations  of  the  promises  of  life  and 
salvation  through  the  rede  motion  rJ:  Christ,  lav 
the  firmest  foundation  for  the  confidence,  and 
most  intense  acting  of  faith.  Here  are  the  most 
affecting  representations  of  the  love  and  grace 
of  God  towards  his  children.  Surely  then,  the 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  concurring  with  all 
these  exhibitions,  must  needs  envigorate  faith, 
quicken  and  raise  the  affections,  and  enliven  ev- 
ery grace.  These  ordinances,  therefore,  are  of- 
ten means  of  the  most  sweet  and  near  commu- 
nion with  God, 


r  44] 

OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 
EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING 

THE  LORD'S  SUPPER, 

CONSIDERED. 

VV  E  are  bound  to  this  duty  from  gratitude. 
Our  salvation  by  Christ  Jesus,  is  the  unspeaka.. 
ble  gift  of  God.  What  adds  greatly  to  the  value 
of  any  favour  is,  that  it  was  conferred  on  us  in 
our  great  need.  Our  condition,  when  the  Son 
of  God  came  to  save  us,  was  indeed,  distress- 
ful. We  might  be  helped  to  form  some  proper 
notion  of  it,  from  the  authentic  accounts  which 
we  have  of  those  nations,  who  never  yet  heard 
of  the  gospel :  they  are,  to  this  day,  without 
God,  and  without  hope  in  the  world,  worship- 
ing the  most  absurd  objects,  and  living  in  bar- 
barities, which  it  is  even  a  shame  to  mention. 
This  shews  us,  that  all  men  are  included  under 
sin ;  and,  thereby,  become  obnoxious  to  many 
miseries  in  this  world,  and  to  the  dreadful  con- 
sequences of  sinful  and  vicious  lives  in  the 
world  to  come. 

From  this  distressful  condition  we  were  un- 
able to  recover  ourselves,  but  the  Son  of  God 
was  manifested  to  save  us  ;  to  instruct  us  in  our 
duty  to  God,  to  atone  for  our  guilt,  and  to 
quicken  us  in  the  ways  of  holiness,  who  were 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sin.    To  accomplish  this 

*  From  Dr.  Duncan's  devout  Communicant's  Assistant. 


OBLIGATIONS   AtfD    EXCUSKS   COXSIDLRLD.       4  > 

redemption,  he  relinquished  all  that  happiness 
of  which  he  was  possessed  in  heaven,  and  laid 
down  his  life,  in  many  circumstances  of  igno- 
miny and  distress,  as  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins.  To  perpetuate  the  memory  of  this  ama- 
zing love,  was  our  Lord's  Supper  appointed. 

How  would  gratitude  be  expected  to  mani- 
fest itself  for  temporal  favours,  respecting  things 
of  this  world  ?  If  any  person  had  ventured  his 
life  to  save  us,  when  we  were  on  the  brink  of 
perishing  by  fire  or  water,  we  would  have  rec- 
koned ourselves  obliged,  allour  lives  afterward, 
to  remember  him  with  esteem  and  affection.  If, 
therefore,  we  have  any  vestige  of  gratitude  in 
us,  for  the  inestimable  benefit  of  salvation  by 
Christ  Jesus  from  far  greater  miseries  than  tem- 
poral death,  we  will  contribute  what  we  can  to 
preserve  the  memory  of  it  in  the  world  ;  that 
children  yet  unborn  may  declare  his  mighty 
acts,  and  one  generation  to  another  may  praise 
the  Lord. 

Any  man  who  lives  in  the  habitual  neglect  of 
this  duty,  ought  seriously  to  consider,  that  if  ail 
men  acted  and  argued  as  he  does,  the  Lord's 
Supper,  which  has  been  a  continued  and  incon- 
testible  visible  proof  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel, 
would  go  into  desuetude;  and  thereby  the  love 
of  Christ,  which  he  remarkably  expressed  in 
his  death,  be  entirely  forgot  in  the  world. 

2.  The  advantages  wrhich  we  may  reap  from 
this  ordinance,  are  another  reason  why  we  ought 
to  embrace  every  opportunity  that  comes  in  our 
wav  of  paruking  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
E   2 


46  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

In  all  the  offices  of  piety  and  religion,  there 
is  a  pleasure  which  a  good  man  feels  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  his  honest  endeavours  to  approve 
himself  to  God.  As  Job  long  since  beautifully 
expressed  it,  The  Lord  knoweth  the  way  that 
I  take,  and  when  he  hath  tried  me,  I  shall  come 
forth  as  gold.*  There  is  also  a  joy  in  the  sensa- 
tions of  a  heart  grateful  toward  God,  which  a 
stranger  doth  not  intermeddle  with.  The  real 
worth  and  comfort  of  these  two  no  man  knoweth, 
but  he  that  hath  received  them. 

Besides  these,  this,  ordinance  hath  particular 
advantages  from  the  native  design  and  tendency 
of  it,  to  stir  up  many  devout  and  pious  consi- 
derations, to  shew  the  evil  of  sin,  and  arm  us 
with  resolutions  against  it. 

The  frequent  participation  of  it  keeps  awake 
on  our  minds,  a  sense  of  our  relation  to  Christ 
as  the  head,  as  we  are  members  of  his  body ;  of 
our  obligations  to  be  made  conformable  to  his 
death,  and  to  live  in  the  hopes  of  his  coming  to 
judgment. 

It  cherishes  in  our  souls  love  to  God,  who 
loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  save  us; — love 
also  to  the  blessed  Jesus,  who  loved  us,  and  gave 
himself  to  the  death  for  us.    Besides  this, 

The  Lord's  supper  sets  before  us  a  powerful 
motive  to  love  our  brethren,  as  children  of  the 
same  family,  redeemed  with  the  same  precious 
ijiood;  and  teaches  us  to  check  all  ill-will  or  re- 
venge against  those  for  whom  Christ  died. 

The  self-examination  in  which  we   ought  to 

*  job  xviii   10 


EXCUSES  Full  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  47 

be  employed,  as  preparatory  to  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, will  lead  us  to  a  greater  acquaintance  with 
our  own  hearts  and  lives  ;  and  thereby  shew  us 
what  things  are  wanting  that  need  to  be  supplied, 
or  what  things  are  wrong  that  need  to  be  recti- 
fied, or  what  guilt  that  needs  to  be  pardoned 
and  repented  of. 

In  a  word,  commemorating  the  death  of  Christ, 
who  is  our  peace,  affords  comfort  to  the  penitent, 
in  hopes  of  pardon.  "  in  that  we  have  redemp- 
u  tion  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness 
U  of  sin ;"  for  now,  he  that  confesseth,  and  for- 
saketh  it.  is  certain  of  finding  mercy. 

And,  therefore,  as  the  Lord's  Supper  will  af- 
ford peace  in  the  road  of  our  duty,  and  be  a 
means  of  animating  us  to  live  up  to  our  pro- 
fession with  greater  diligence;  if  men  judged 
writh  the  same  sagacity  in  spiritual  things,  as 
they  do  in  things  of  this  world,  they  would  think 
themselves  strictly  bound  to  perform  a  duty  that 
tended  so  much  to  promote  their  best  interest. 

3.  The  express  commandment  of  Christ  obli- 
geth  us  to  partake  of  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  (i  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me, — 
"  Shew  forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come." 
This  commandment  is  recorded  by  three  of  the 
Evangelists,  and  by  the  holy  Apostle  Paul,  who 
had  it  in  immediate  charge  from  Christ  himself. 
When  he  was  made  an  apostle,  not  by  man, 
neither  by  the  will  of  man,  but  by  the  revela- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ,  then  he  received  of  the 
Lord,  what  he  also  delivered  unto  us  relative 
to  this  ordinance. 


•AS  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

This  commandment,  delivered  by  the  autho- 
rity of  our  great  Lawgiver,  is  as  binding  upon 
us  as  any  other  duty  of  our  religion,  or  any  of 
the  ten  commandments  of  God's  law.  Every 
one  therefore,  who  lives  in  the  habitual  neglect 
of  it,  lives  in  wilful  sin.  Every  such  person 
ought  seriously  to  consider,  that  to  partake  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  is  the  only  distinguishing  act 
of  Christian  worship,  and  an  explicit  declaration 
of  our  faith  in  the  death  of  Christ.  A  person, 
therefore,  come  to  age,  who  did  never  partake 
of  it,  as  he  was  baptized  without  his  own  con- 
sent, has  done  nothing  to  declare  his  acceptance 
of  the  choice  then  made  for  him,  for  him,  or  to 
ratify  the  obligations  that  were  then  laid  on  him ; 
and  consequently,  has  given  no  evidence  to  the 
world  that  he  is  any  more  a  Christian,  than  he 
is  a  Heathen,  Jew,  or  Mahometan. 
•  There  are  many  circumstances  attending  the 
delivery  of  this  commandment,  that  ought  pow- 
erfully to  enforce  our  obedience  to  it :  he  who 
enjoined  this  duty  is  Jesus  the  Son  of  God;  our 
hope  ;  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith,  who 
laid  down  his  life  for  us,  is  now  gone  into  hea- 
ven to  take  possession  in  our  name,  and  prepare 
a  place  for  us ;  and  will  return  to  W  receive  us 
"  unto  himself,  that  where  he  is,  there  we  may 
"  be  also." 

The  time  in  like  manner,  when  this  ordinance 
was  instituted,  ought  to  affect  every  ingenuous 
mind,  as  a  motive  to  obey  the  commandment, 
"  That  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed,"  when 
he  had  a  full  prospect  of  his  sufferings.  He  welt 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,.  CONSIDERED.    49 

knew  that  all  the  disciples  should,  that  night, 
be  offended  because  of  him  ;  for  it  should  be 
fulfilled  that  is  written,  "  they  shall  smite  the 
"  shepherd,  and  the  sheep  of  the  flock  shall  be 
;{  scattered."  In  the  prospect  of  certain  suffer- 
ings, mankind  are  usually  so  affected  with  their 
own  distress,  as  to  be  unmindful  of  others  ;  but 
even  then,  when  he  was  about  to  pour  out  his 
soul  unto  death,  he  remembered  us,  and  insti- 
tuted this  memorial  of  his  death,  and  commanded 
us  to  do  this  in  remembrance  of  him.  All  men 
are  careful,  if  possible,  to  fulfil  the  request  of  a 
dying  friend,  much  more  of  a  friend  dying  for 
us. 

So  that  if  we  retain,  in  our  hearts,  the  least 
vestige  of  gratitude  for  that  love  which  Christ 
expressed  for  us  in  our  low  estate,  which  he 
bore  in  his  mind  in  the  greatest  agonies  of  his 
sufferings  ;  if  we  would  wish  to  have  the  grate- 
ful remembrance  of  what  he  hath  done  for  man- 
kind kept  up  in  the  world,  and  a  more  power- 
ful sense  of  it  impressed  upon  our  own  hearts; 
if  we  are  even  earnest  to  reap  rhe  benefit  and 
comfort  which  the  pious  performance  of  this 
duty  might  afford  us,  or  think  ourselves  under 
any  obligations  to  obey  the  commandment  of 
our  dying  Redeemer,  we  are  certainly  bound  to 
do  this  in  remembrance  of  him. 

4*  I  may  add,  that  if  there  were  any  difficulty 
in  explaining  the  extent  of  this  commandment, 
or  any  doubt  whether  the  memorial  of  Christ's 
death  was  intended  to  be  kept  up  in  his  church 
as  a  duty  of  perpetual  obligation,  wc  have  the 


50  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,    AND 

practice  of  the  primitive  Christians,  those  who 
lived  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  as  an  explica- 
tion of  it ;  they  certainly  had  best  access  to 
know  the  meaning  of  it.  "  They  continued 
;'  with  one  accord  in  the  temple,  and  in  break - 
"  ing  of  bread  from  house  to  house. — They 
"  continued  in  the  apostle's  doctrine  and  fel- 
•'•'  lowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in 
•'•'  prayer. — On  the  first  day  of  the  week,  the 
'•'  disciples  came  together  to  break  bread.*  " 
And  when  the  apostle  Paul,  writes  to  the  church 
of  Corinth,f  with  relation  to  this  ordinance,  he 
does  it  not  to  institute  a  rite  that  was  new,  but 
to  rectify  several  abuses,  of  which  they  had  been 
guilty  in  the  celebration  of  it: — that  they  came 
together  as  to  a  common  meal,  while  one  was 
hungry,  and  another  drunken,  and  ate  to  excess, 
as  if  they  had  not  had  houses  to  eat  at  home.  As 
therefore,  they  had  profaned  the  Lord's  Supper, 
if  it  had  not  been  a  duty  of  perpetual  obliga- 
tion, the  apostle  would  have  forbid  the  institu- 
tion altogether,  rather  than  have  given  them  fur- 
ther directions  about  the  religious  celebration  of 
it :  but  his  appointment  is,  "  As  oft  as  ye  eat 
"  this  bread  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  shew,  (or 
"  shew  ye)  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come." 


AS  the  duty  of  partaking  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  is  so  reasonable  and  delightful  and  our 
obligations  to  perform  it  so  indispensible,  one 
would  think  there  must  be  something  very  ex- 


*  Acts  ii.  46.  42.  xx.  7.  f  1  Cor.  xi.  23. 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.    51 

traordinary,  that  could  hinder  a  person  from  em- 
bracing every  proper  opportunity  of  approach- 
ing it.  No  text  of  scripture  can  be  explained  as 
a  pretence  of  staying  from  the  Lord's  table, 
where  the  blame  will  not  fall  on  ourselves.  Yet, 
so  it  is,  that  sometimes  good  Christians  are  dis- 
tressed with  difficulties  and  discouragements,  in 
the  prospect  of  coming  to  it ;  and  wicked  care- 
less  men  often  muster  up  excuses  for  continu- 
ing, perhaps  their  whole  lives,  in  the  neglect  of 
this  necessary  duty.  This  makes  it  very  need- 
ful, as  the  third  part  of  this  subject,  to  consider 
the  excuses  and  pretences  for  not  coming  to  the 
Lord's  table. 

I  hope  it  is  not  improper  to  beseech  every 
one  vt  ho  has  neglected  this  duty,  under  pretence 
of  any  one  of  the  following  excuses,  seriously  to 
ask  himself,  Whether  he  be  sincere  in  offering 
them,  and  would  willingly  come  to  the  Lord's 
table  if  these  difficulties  were  removed  ?  For, 
if  he  hath  only  mustered  up  any  of  them,  to 
patch  up  a  sort  of  false  peace  with  his  own  con- 
science, that  he  may  quietly  continue  in  sin,  and 
not  undergo  the  pain  and  sorrow  which  the  purg- 
ing out  the  old  leaven  would  cost  him,  that  he 
might  be  suitably  prepared  to  keep  this  feast :  he 
is  proof  against  conviction,  and  we  speak  as  to 
them  that  do  not  hear. 

I  would  earnestly  wish,  that  endeavouring  to 
answer  these  excuses  might  have  the  good  ef- 
fect to  induce  those  to  partake  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  who  have  formerly  been  negligent  of 
it,  and   to  assist  serious  well  meaning  Chris- 


52  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

tians  to  approach  it  with  more  comfort  and  ad~ 
vantage. 

1 .  Some  say,  We  are  so  great  sinners,  that  we 
dare  not  come  to  the  Lord's  table. 

In  answer  to  this,  it  is  necessary  to  consider, 
whether  those  sins  which  make  them  afraid 
to  come  to  the  Lord's  table  are  repented  of,  or 
not  ?  If  we  have  repented  of  our  past  transgres- 
sions, and  are  justly  humbled  on  account  of 
them,  and  steadily  resolved  to  watch  against 
them  ;  so  far  as  we  are  conformed  to  the  calls  of 
the  gospel.  This,  instead  of  rendering  us  unfit 
for  the  Lord's  table,  is  a  very  proper  disposition 
to  qualify  us  for  it ;  *  that,  by  this  ordinance  we 

•  The  terms  of  salvation  have  been  the  same  in  every  age  of  the 
world.  Submission  and  an  acquiescence  of  the  heart  in  the  Divine 
■  will  and  government  are  both  fit  and  indispensable  inthose  subjects  of 
the  great  King,  who  have  rebel'ed  against  him.  An  external  formal 
submission  is  proper  in  the  subjects  of  a  visible  government,  but  in 
spiritual  subjects  nothing  less  than  a  real  change  of  the  will  and  af- 
fections can  be  deemed  a  return  from  rebellion  ;  and  strict  subordina- 
tion, though  not  a  meritorious  cause,  must  nevertheless  be  ne- 
cessary, that  the  offended  Divine  majesty  should  take  complacency 
in  them. 

This  in  the  view  of  man  has  been  true  religion  in  every  age,  however 
designated  by  various  names  under  the  disperoatioiis  of  different 
times.  It  has  been  called  the  fear  of  God,  trusting  in  him,  com- 
mitting tire  soul  to  him,  walking  with  him,  working  righteousness, 
because  such  an  humbled  mind  would  be  exercised  thus  variously  ac- 
cording as  the  Lord  should  be  seen  in  terrible  majesty,  or  in*  his 
gracious  promise?,  as  delighting  in  holiness,  or  requiring  obedience. 
Under  a  milder  dispensation  the  selfsame  disposition  would  receive 
with  gratitude  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation,  believe  the  testimony  of 
God  by  his  Son,  be  led  to  repentance  by  a  sight  of  his  goodness, 
charmed  by  the  displays  of  the  Divine  loveliness,  hope  in  his  promis- 
ed rest,  a:>d  rejoice  upon  the  possession  of  the  satisfactory  evidences 
of  an  interest  mthe  Redeemer. 

Fear  and  reverence,  repentance  arid  faith,  love  and  obedience  are 
but  the  different  exercises  of  the  same  acquiescing  heart,  which  has 
been  created  a-r.ew  by  the  Holy  Fpirit.    If  any  such  exercise-be  false-, 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.    5J 

may  be  strengthened  against  sin,  and  all  our 
•good  resolutions  be  confirmed.  The  penitent 
and  contrite  heart  God  will  not  despise.  To  him, 
"  even  to  this  man,  will  I  look,"  that  is,  with 
comfort  and  approbation,  "  who  is  poor  and 
"  of  a  contrite  spirit,  and  trembleth  at  my 
"  word*," 

But  if  we  are  living  impenitent,  in  the  com- 
mission of  sin,  we  are,  indeed,  unfit  for  the 
Lord's  table  ;  but  the  blame  must  lie  on  our- 
selves. While  we  continue  in  this  impenitent 
state,  our  prayers  and  praises,  every  act  of  reli- 
gious worship,  as  well  as  communicating,  are 
an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God.  When 
we  spread  forth  our  hands  he  will  not  regard  ; 
and,  without  amendment  of  life,  this  will  render 
us  incapable  of  admission  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 

A  person  labours  under  a  great  mistake,  who 

then  the  man  is  yet  an  enemy  and  all  his  religion  is  vain  ;  if  any  one 
be  true,  all  are  sufficiently  so  as  to  comport  with  the  christian  cha- 
racter;  and  thus  happiness  is  often  promised  to  a  lonely  grace ;  he 
who  repents  is  forgiven,  he  that  believes  will  be  saved,  and  a 
true  love  of  God,  though  defective  in  degree,  is  said  to  fulfil  his 
law. 

Faith  is  the  name  most  frequently  put  for  the  whole  of  religion  ; 
for  it  is  the  exercise  of  the  mind  which  receives  and  acquiesces  in  the 
revelation  of  Christ  ;  but  such  faith  is  not  merelya  matter  of  specu- 
lation or  a  mere  assent  to  evidence,  for  the  saint  believes  with  the 
heart  ;  nor  does  it  terminate  in  a  temporary  and  transitory  excitement 
of  the  affections,  for  it  works  by  loye  and  produces  the  fruits  of  ho- 
liness; nor  does  it  rest  in  holy  dispositions,  words,  cr  actions,  as 
<  ufticient  to  procure  happiness  ;  but  the  believer  deems  himself  ah  un- 
profitable servant,  and  trusts  alone  to  the  grace  of  God  in  Jesuo 
Christ.  But  all  of  these  things  spring  from  that  holy  subjection 
of  soul  unto  God,   which  is  his  gift,  and  which  teuds 'toward.-:  his 

*  Isaiah  lxvi.  2- 

F 


o-h  OBLIGATIONS    TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

imagines  himself  in  a  safer  way  to  salvation,  by 
absenting  from  the  Lord's  table,  while  he  conti- 
nues in  sin,  than  if  he  approached  to  it.  For. 
whether  he  communicate  or  not,  unless  he  repent 
he  must  perish. 

If,  by  this  excuse,  any  one  means,  that  he  is 
sensible  he  lives  in  so  disorderly,  or  unchris- 
tian a  manner,  that  he  is  really  unfit  for  the 
Lord's  table ;  and  that  his  being  seen  there 
might,  perhaps,  give  offence  to  his  neighbours  ; 
he  ought  seriously  to  consider,  that,  while  he 
continues  such,  he  is  unfit  to  enter  the  heaven- 
ly Jerusalem.  For  if  he  is  not  possessed  of  so 
much  of  the  external  decency  of  religion,  as 
<:ould  entitle  him,  in  the  judgment  of  charity, 
to  the  outward  privileges  of  a  professing  Chris- 
tian ;  he  cannot  pretend  to  have  so  much  real  ho- 
liness, as  does,  in  the  sight  of  God,  render  him 
fit  to  be  admitted  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
where  nothingcan  enter  that  defileth,  or  worketh 
abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie. 

So  that  unless  the  sinner  resolve  to  continue 
in  sin,  and  renounce  all  hopes  of  salvation,  the 
wisest  course  he  can  possible  follow,  is  to  em- 
brace the  first  opportunity,  "  while  it  is  called 
"  to  day,"  of  turning  from  all  his  iniquities,  and 
of  ratifying  those  good  resolutions,  by  devoutly 
'partaking  of  the  -Lord's  Supper. 

It  is  necessary,  before  I  leave  this  question, 
to  observe,  that,  sometimes,  pious  persons,  in 
prospect  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  have  been  dis- 
tressed with  the  same  objection,  u  a  sense  of 
'•'their  own  unworthiness. "    There  are  pious 


EXCUSES    FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  55 

md  devout  persons  who  deal  more  severely  with 
themselves  than  any  body  else  ;  and,  from  a  de- 
jection of  spirit,  or  mistaken  notions  of  their  du- 
ty, are  sometimes  ready  to  render  this  sacra- 
ment a  mean  of  melancholy  and  discouragement, 
instead  of  consolation  and  thanksgiving.  And 
because  the  Psalmist  speaks  of  the  reproach 
which  he  had  brought  on  religion,  in  the  matter 
of  Uriah;  and  the  holy  Apostle  Paul  calls  him- 
self the  chief  of  sinners,  and  injurious,  because 
he  had  persecuted  the  cause  and  followers  of 
Christ,  and  obliged  them  to  blaspheme  his  holy 
name:  they  are  ready,  in  the  same  spirit  of  de- 
jection., to  give  themselves  such  names  as  these. 
and  consider  themselves  as  the  chief  of  sinners  ; 
though  they  cannot  fix  upon  any  great  crime  of 
which  they  have  been  guilty  ;  but  possess  not 
all  that  cheerfulness  of  mind,  or  that  fervour  of 
devotion,  which  they  could  wish. 

To  such  persons  we  may  say,  If  men  had 
been  perfect,  the  death  of  Christ  would  have 
been  unnecessary.  The  means  of  grace  are  ap- 
pointed for  our  improvement  in  holiness : 
The  best  of  men  have  their  infirmities ;  but 
there  is  a  great  difference  between  them  and  the 
wilful  sinner,  who  goeth  on  in  his  trespasses. 
As  these  infirmities  and  weaknesses,  to  which 
pious  persons  are  exposed,  are  their  grief,  and 
great  ground  of  sorrow,  as  they  strive  and  wres- 
tle against  them  ;  this  ordinance  is  appointed  as- 
a  mean  of  establishing  them  more  in  the  faith, 
and  enabling  them  to  overcome  their  spiritual 
enemies.    Such  persons  Christ  himself  affectio- 


56  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

nately  invites-to  come  to  him  for  relief ;  "  Come 
"  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  la- 
"  den,  and  I  will  give  you  rest ■*. — Thus  also, 
"  saith  the  high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth 
'•  eternity,  whose  name  is  Holy,  I  dwell  in  the 
a  high  and  holy  place ;  with  him  also  that  is  of 
'  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to  revive  the 
iC  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  heart 
"  of  the  contrite  onesf."  And  every  one  re- 
members the  acceptance  of  the  humble  publi- 
can's penitent  prayer,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me 
u  a  sinner  $,"  in  preference  to  that  of  the  proud' 
self-righteous  pharisee. 

2.  Some  say,  We  are  so  much  taken  up 
with  the  cares  of  life,  that  we  cannot  afford 
time  sufficient  to  prepare  ourselves  for  the  Lord's 
table. 

If  a  man  pursue  the  lawful  cares  of  this  world 
within  due  bounds,  this  is  his  duty,  and  by  no 
means  disqualifies  him  for  serving  God.  What- 
ever mistaken  notions  of  godliness  men  may 
have  drunk  in,  Christianity  does  not  allow  us, 
even  under  pretence  of  minding  religion,  to  ne- 
glect our  lawful  employments ;  but  expressly 
commands  us  to  study  to  be  quiet,  and  do  our 
own  business,  working  with  our  hands,  that  we 
may  eat  our  own  bread  §. 

If  we  pursue  unlawful  objects,  or  set  our 
hearts  too  much  on  the  things  of  this  world,  and 
in  quest  of  them,  forfeit  a  good  conscience  ;  this 


*  Mattb.  xi.  28.  f  Isaiah  lvii.  15.  J  Luke  xviii.  14> 

§  2  Thess.  Hi,  1.2. 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  57 

pursuit,  if  we  continue  in  it,  will  render  us  unfit 
for  eternal  life.  To  pretend  this  as  an  excuse  for 
absenting  from  the  Lord's  table,  rather  aggra- 
vates than  lessens  our  guilt :  It  is  excusing  one 
sin  by  another.  But  if  a  person  were  really  sor- 
ry that  the  cares  of  the  world  employed  too 
much  of  his  thoughts,  there  could  not  be  a  more 
effectual  means  of  curing  our  hearts  of  this  dis- 
ease, of  lessening  our  esteem  of  the  things  of 
this  world,  or  of  weaning  our  affections  from 
them,  than  frequent  and  devout  meditation  on- 
heavenly  things  ;  and.  particularly,  in  this  ordi- 
nance, viewing  the  things  of  this  world  in  the 
cross  of  Christ,  would  greatly  assist  us  to  over- 
come them. 

Perhaps  a  person  who  offers  this  reason  for 
neglecting  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
means,  that  his  situation  is  such  as  allows  him  but 
very  little  time  to  prepare  for  it.  To  this  may 
be  properly  answered,  That  God,  whom  we 
serve,  best  knows  our  situation  in  life  ;  he  hailr 
determined  the  bounds  of  our  habitation ;  he 
makes  allowance,  in  mercy,  for  our  circum- 
stances, and  exacts  improvement  from  us,  only 
in  proportion  to  the  talents  with  which  we  are 
intrusted  ;  and,  therefore,  expects  that  we  shouid 
employ  more  or  less  time  in  the  duties  of  piety 
and  devotion,  in  proportion  as  our  circumstan- 
ces can  afford.  So  that  a  servant,  or  any  other 
person,  who  is  necessarily  taken  up  in  labouring 
from  morning  to  night  for  his  bread,  cannot  be 
supposed  to  bestow  so  much  time  in  preparing 
himself  for  this  ordinance,   as  one  who  has  aH 

T7       9 


58 

his  time  in  his  own  disposal ;  though  all  of  us 
might  employ  more  time  in  the  offices  of  reli- 
gion than  we  usually  do :  For  even  when  our 
bodies  are  employed  about  the  things  of  this 
world,  our  affections  may  be  toward  God ;  our 
thoughts  turned  to  the  inward  frame  and  state 
of  our  souls;  meditating  on  things  above; 
sending  up  our  prayers  and  devout  ejaculations 
to  heaven  ;  imploring  the  forgiveness  of  sin, 
and  mercy  and  grace  to  help  us  in  the  time  of 
need. 

So  that  our  minding  the  cares  of  this  life,  can 
be  no  excuse  for  absenting  from  the  Lord's 
Supper.  If  we  pursue  them  with  reasonable  con- 
cern, that  is  no  crime,  nor  any  reason  for  neg- 
lecting the  service  of  God,  as  we  are  then  only 
doing  our  duty  :  But,  if  we  pursue  the  cares  of 
the  world  in  excess,  this  is  a  fault  that  requires 
speedy  amendment. 

3.  Some  stay  away  from  the  Lord's  Supper 
for  fear  they  should  afterward  break  their  vows, 
and  thereby,  instead  of  making  improvement  in 
religion,  be  in  danger  of  contracting  new  guilt. 
They  think  it,  therefore,  safer  not  to  vow,  than  to 
vow  and  not  pay. 

Such  persons  seem  to  proceed  upon  a  mis- 
take, that,  by  staying  away  from  the  Lord's 
Supper,  they  are  free  from  the  obligations  to  ho- 
liness which  we  are  laid  under  by  coming  to  it. 
Every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ,  must 
depart  from  iniquity.  The  gospel  obliges  us  to 
abandon  "  all  ungodliness,  and  worldly  lusts, 
u  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godiy,  in- 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  5*J 

'k  this  present  world  5"  and  assures  us  that  im- 
penitent sinners  cannot  be  happy  in  the  next ; 
for  '*  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the 
li  Lord."  When  we  come  to  the  Lord's  ta- 
ble we  make  open  profession  of  these  obliga- 
tions, and  renew  our  serious  purposes  to  live  in 
this  manner  ;  but  our  staying  away  does  not 
free  us  from  the  obligations  to  perform  these 
duties. 

To  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  not  only 
a  duty,  but  a  very  necessary  mean  of  improve- 
ment in  grace.  We  may  safely  affirm,  that  no 
disciple  of  Christ  ever  partook  of  it  who  had 
not  infirmities  to  struggle  with,  and  many  things 
that  needed  to  be  amended.  The  holy  Apostle 
Peter  sat  at  the  first  Supper  with  our  blessed 
Lord,  and  professed  very  warm  and  affectionate 
love  to  him  ;  and  yet,  ere  the  cock  crow  of  next 
morning,  he  denied  him.  This  is  not  recor- 
ded to  terrify  good  Christians  from  the  Lord's 
Supper  ;  for,  it  is  evident,  soon  after  this,  when 
that  Apostle  professed  great  love  for  his  Lord 
and  master,  Christ  did  believe  him  sincere,  and 
continued  him  in  his  apostleship  :  and  forewarn- 
ed him,  that  he  must  suffer  for  his  name,  though 
lately  he  had  denied  him  *. 

The  just  inference  from  this  is,  That  people 
who  are  afraid  lest  they  should  break  their  vows 
ought  to  be  the  more  watchful.  If  they  are  in 
danger  of  being  tempted  to  return  to  the  com- 
mission of  their  sins,  it  is  a  very  wrong  course, 

*  John  xxi  13. 


60  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

for  that  reason,  to  neglect  so  necessary  and  im- 
portant a  duty  :  they  ought  much  rather  to  re- 
solve, that  they  will  be  the  more  on  their  guard 
against  temptation  ;  they  will  exercise  the  more 
serious  dependence  on  the  grace  of  God ;  and 
be  more  constant  and  fervent  in  prayer  for  the 
assistance  of  his  Holy  Spirit. 

We  too  often  argue  in  matters  of  religion,  as 
we  would  not  in  things  of  this  world.  If  a  thing 
is  necessary  to  be  done,  and  tends  greatly  to 
our  interest,  we  will  not  be  terrified  from  it, 
though  attended  with  some  hazard.  A  merchant 
will  not  give  over  business  though  he  has  the 
risk  of  bad  debtors,  and  the  dangers  of  the  seas 
to  encounter,  since  trade  is  necessary  for  his 
own  and  his  family's  subsistence.  Thus  wc 
ought  to  reason  on  the  case  before  us  :  we  are 
strictly  bound  in  duty,  gratitude,  and  interest,. 
to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper  :  the  danger  of 
which  we  are  afraid,  is  doubtful ;  for,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  we  may  be  enabled  to  approach 
worthily,  and  to  fulfil  our  vows ;  but,  if  we  ne- 
glect it,  the  sin  is  plain  and  obvious.  In  the. 
conscientious  attendance  on  our  duty  we  have 
the  veracity  of  God  to  comfort  us ;  "  He  is- 
"  faithful  who  hath  promised,  who  will  not  suf». 
"  fer  us  to  be  tempted  above  that  we  are  able; 
4<  but  will,  with  the  temptation,  also  make  a  way 
"  to  escape,  that  we  may  be  able  to  bear  it.*" 

4.  Some  are  afraid  to  come  to  the  Lord's  ta- 
ble, because  theyohave  not  made  all  that  im- 
provement which  they  think  they  ought  to  have 

»  I  Cor  x.  T-3. 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.    61 

made  by  the  occasions  which  they  have  former- 
ly had  of  partaking  of  it. 

Such  persons  ought  to  consider,  that  nothing 
can  exempt  us  from  obedience  to  a  plain  posi- 
tive commandment,  but  inability  to  perform  it. 
We  make  real  improvement  in  religion  by  the 
use  of  the  means  of  grace,  when  we  are  more 
confirmed  in  the  faith,  and  enabled  more  con- 
stantly to  resist  temptation,  and  attend  to  our 
duty  :  though,  perhaps,  wc  have  not  all  that  sen- 
sidle  joy  and  delight  in  the  offices  of  piety  that 
we  could  wish.  It  is  far  safer  to  perform  two 
duties,  though  attended  with  imperfections, 
when  we  are  sincere  in  what  we  set  about,  than 
wilfully  or  carelessly  to  neglect  one. 

But  if  a  person  is  really  sorry,  that  he  has  not 
formerly  made  all  the  improvement  which  he 
ought  to  have  made  in  religion,  by  the  use  of 
this  ordinance,  instead  of  being  a  reason  for  ne- 
glecting it  now,  this  is  the  justest  reason  for  him 
carefully  to  examine  his  own  heart,  to  learn  what 
hath  been  the  cause  of  his  not  profiting  hereto- 
fore by  the  Lord's  Supper.  And  it  is  very  pro- 
bable he  will  find,  either  that  he  hath  not  tho- 
roughly examined  himself,  but  hath  left  some 
hidden  iniquity,  which  he  hath  not  searched  out, 
or  hath  not  entirely  forsaken,  and  this  root  of 
bitterness  afterward  springing  up,  hath  defiled 
him  :  or  else,  that  there  hath  so  long  time  inter- 
vened between  the  seasons  at  which  he  partook 
of  the  Lord's  Supper,  that  the  impressions  and 
effects  of  the  one  have  ceased  long  before  he 
embraced  another  opportunity, 


62  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

But  let  every  honest  Christian  be  diligent  and 
sincere  in  preparing  his  heart  for  this  ordinance  : 
let  him,  as  the  apostle  expresseth  it,  study  "  to 
"  purge  out  the  old  leaven, — and  keep  the  feast 
with  sincerity  and  truth  :"  let  him  purpose  and 
endeavour  to  live  like  his  profession ;  and  ear- 
nestly implore  the  blessing  of  God  to  make  all 
effectual  to  the  comfort  and  salvation  of  his  soul, 
and  that  assistance  will  not  be  wanting.  But  he 
must  not  imagine  that  one  ordinance,  or  one 
Supper  will  crown  him,  or  make  him  perfect  at 
once  :  he  must  continue  in  the  diligent  use  of 
these  means,  to  carry  him  on  "  from  strength 
to  strength  ;"  and  at  last  he  shall  "  receive  the 
"  end  of  his  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  his 
"  soul."  We  must  not  be  weary  in  well-doing ; 
"  in  due  season  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not." 

5.  The  dread  of  incurring  the  danger  of  un- 
worthy communicating,  "  He  that  eateth  and 
"  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  dam- 
"  nation  to  himself,  not  discerning  the  Lord's 
"  body,*"  hath  distressed  many  in  the  thoughts 
of  coming  to  the  Lord's  table. 

In  reply  to  this,  it  is  necessary,  first,  to  ob- 
serve, That  the  word  here  translated  damnation, 
and  on  the  margin  judgment, \  is  not  meant  of 

*  1  Cor.  xi.  29. 

•f  The  learned  and  pious  Dr.  Doddridge,  of  Northampton,  who 
was  incapable  of  speaking  slightly  cf  what  respected  so  important 
an  institution  as  the  Lord's  Supper,  observes,  on  the  word  damna- 
tion, 1  Cor.  xi.  29.  in  his  Commentaries  on  the  New  Testament,  "  I 
"  think  it  the  most  unhappy  mistake  in  all  our  version  of  the  Bible, 
"  that  the  word  Wfjtdt  is  here  rendered  damnation:  it  has  raised  a 
■•  dread  in  tender  minds,  which  has  greatly  obstructed  the  comfort 
"  and  edification  which  they  might  have  received  from  this  ordi- 
"  nance," 


l.XCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.         Go 

eternal  condemnation,  as  the  word  in  our  lan- 
guage, usually  signifies  :  but  temporal  judg- 
ment. Judgment,  that  is,  distress,  calamity,  or 
persecution,  "  must  begin  at  the  house  of  God.-" 
And  thus  the  30th  verse  here  explains  it,  when 
the  apostle  says,  "  For  this  cause,"  that  is,  for 
unworthy  communicating,  "  many  are  weakly 
M  and  sick  among  you,  and  many  sleep,"  or 
are  dead.  He  adds  in  the  32d  verse,  that  these 
corrections,  and  marks  of  the  divine  displeasure, 
were  designed  for  their  amendment,  and  to  pre- 
vent their  final  condemnation  with  the  ungodly. 
•'•  When  we  are  judged,  we  are  chastened  of  the 
"  Lord,  that  we  should  not  be  condemned  with 
"  the  world,  t" 

We  may  also  observe,  That  the  manner  in 
which  we  now  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper  in 
the  church,  prevents  our  being  guilty  of  com- 
municating unworthily,  in  the  very  sense  in 
which  the  Corinthians  did.  While  they  ate  it, 
as  a  common  meal,  out  of  strife,  with  pride  and 
uncharitableness,  one  was  hungry*  and  another 
drunken,  and  would  not  impart  of  their  supper 
to  their  poor  brethren,  who  had  not  houses  of 
their  own  :  yet  it  would  be  very  unreasonable 
on  this  account  to  say,  that  we  cannot  now  par- 
take unworthily  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  as  we  can- 
not in  the  sense  in  which  the  Corinthians  did. 

To  commemorate  a  great  obligation  suitably 
or  worthily,  implies  a  grateful  sense  of  it,  and  a 
conduct  agreeable  thereto.  If  an  impenitent  sin- 
ner, who  is  going  on  wilfully  in  his  trespasses 

•  1  Pet.  iv.  17  t  1  Cor.  xi.  32. 


-64  OBLIGATIONS   TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

come  to  the  Lord's  table,  without  any  serious 
sense  of  the  goodness  of  God  in  sending  his  Son 
into  this  world ;  or  of  the  love  of  Christ,  in  dy- 
ing for  our  sins ;  and  without  any  purpose  of 
amendment  of  life  ;  this  man,  by  coining  to  the 
sacrament,  really  condemns  himself:  for  by  this 
outward  profession  he  owns  his  subjection  to 
Christ,  and  obligations  to  live  answerably  to  his 
death,  while,  at  heart,  he  has  no  such  intention. 
The  conduct  of  such  a  person  is  like  that  of  a 
man  who  is  an  enemy  to  his  prince,  and  secret- 
ly carry  ing  on  treason  or  conspiracy  against 
him  ;  yet,  to  qualify  himself  for  an  office,  pub- 
lick  ly  swears  oaths  of  obedience  and  allegiance 
to  him.  All  the  world  would  esteem  such  an 
one  perjured  and  self-condemned. 

But  we  may  affirm,  with  the  greatest  certain- 
t}-,  that  no  serious  person,  who  sincerely  wished 
and  endeavoured  to  communicate  worthily,could 
communicate  "unworthily.  For  God  accepteth  a 
man  according  to  what  he  hath.  For  even  when 
one  who  has  formerly  been  a  stranger  to  reli- 
gion, comes  to  the  Lord's  table  with  sorrow  and 
contrition  for  sin,  sincere  purposes  of  after  a- 
mendment,  and  of  living  answerably  to  the  death 
of  Christ ;  though  his  religion  go  no  farther  at 
present,  than  honest  purpose  and  intention,  he 
communicates  worthily. 

Every  one  who  sincerely  repents  of  his  past 
transgressions,  and  carefully  endeavours  to  bring 
his  heart  and  life  in  conformity  to  the  gospel 
covenant,  is  within  the  terms  of  mercy ;  and 
when  he  comes  to  the  holy  sacrament,  in  obe- 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  6j 

dience  to  the  commandment  of  Christ,  as  a  mean 
of  his  improvement  in  holiness  ;  though  he  be 
not  purified  to  that  degree  that  he  could  wish, 
yet  may  be  perfectly  secure,  that  he  cannot,  in 
any  sense,  be  said  to  eat  or  drink  unworthily,  so 
as  to  "  be  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
"  Lord,"  or  "  eat  and  drink  condemnation  to 
"  himself." 

Unworthy  communicating  must  have  been  a 
deliberate  and  wilful  sin,  not  a  sin  of  infirmity; 
otherwise  it  had  never  been  so  severely  punish- 
ed, as  it  was  among  the  Corinthians,  with  dis- 
eases, bodily  afflictions,  and  death. 

And  it  ought  never  to  be  forgot,  that,  what- 
ever was  meant  by  recording  the  guilt  and  dan- 
ger of  unworthy  communicating,  the  apostle 
could  not  have  intended  by  it  to  terrify  any  per- 
son  from  coming  to  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  on- 
ly to  make  men  more  circumspect  in  their  ap- 
proaches to  it :  for,  in  the  very  next  words,  af- 
ter he  has  spoke  of  being  '•'  guilty  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  the  Lord,"  he  adds,  "  but  let  a 
"  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of 
°  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup.*" 

The  sum  of  what  hath  been  said  amounts  to 
this  :  The  obligations  that  lie  on  us  to  perform 
this  duty  are  indispensible  ;  the  objections  of- 
fered for  habitually  neglecting  the  sacrament  are 
insufficient  and  ill  founded:  it  follows,  there- 
fore, that  every  one  who  professes  to  believe  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  ought  to  have  such,  a  measure 

*  1  Cor.  xi.  28 

G 


66  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

of  knowledge  of  the  doctrines  of  religion,  par- 
ticularly of  the  nature  and  design  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  and  live  so  becoming  his  profession,  as 
Christ's  disciple,  that  he  may  be  in  condition, 
when  called  on,  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table.; 
otherwise  he  is  living  in  the  habitual  neglect  of 
the  commandment  of  Christ,  and  is  a  wilful 
sinner. 

The  doubts  and  fears  which  often  distress 
pious  persons,  in  the  prospect  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  are  generally  cither  owing  to  their  own 
timorous  dispositions,  or  to  too  rigid  and  severe 
notions  of  this  institution,  which  they  have  learn- 
ed from  their  teachers.    For,  were  the  excuses 
on  their  part  rightly  understood,  as  such  persons 
are  sincere  in  their  wishes  to  improve  in  faith 
and  holiness,  and  comfort  of  the  Spirit ;  though 
it  may  be  true  that  there  are  things  wrong  in 
their  tempers,  which  they  earnestly  desire  to  be 
amended  :  this  is  by  no   means  a  reason  for 
leaving  off,  but  rather  for  continuing  in  their 
pious  attendance  on  this  duty  ;  and  a  very  ne- 
cessary mean  of  promoting  that  very  end,  which 
they  have  so  much  at  heart.    I  may,  with  great 
truth  add,  for  the  comfort  of  such  people,  that 
these  very  doubts  and  fears  about  the  state  of 
their  souls,  with  which  they  are  often  distressed, 
instead  of  being  a  proof  that  they  are  bad  men, 
are  rather  marks  of  a  tender  conscience,  of  a 
care  to  approve  themselves  to  God,  and  of  sin- 
cere concern  for  their  own  salvation.    For  bad 
men  are  seldom  pressed  with  such  difficulties  : 
if  at  any  time,  any  alarm  of  the  danger  of  their 


EXCUSES    FOR  NEGLECTIN'G,  CONSIDERED.        67 

sinful  courses  attack  them,  like  Felix  of  old, 
though  it  may  make  them  tremble,  they  are 
ready  to  stifle  the  conviction,  and  shift  it  off  to 
a  more  convenient  season. 

It  is  not  now  necessary,  neither  was  it  any 
part  of  the  design  of  this  discourse,  to  enter  par- 
ticularly into  an  examination  of  the  reasons, 
why  Christians  separate  communion  one  from 
another. 

The  rulers  of  the  church  of  Rome  have,  in- 
deed, made  it  impossible  for  us  to  join  in  com^ 
m union  with  them  :  for,  by  an  amazing  stretch 
of  authority,  they  have  taken  away  from  the  peo- 
ple one  half,  and  that  very  essential,  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  the  Cup,  the  representation  of  the  blood 
of  Christ.  That  Church  has  also  affixed  strange 
and  unauthorized  notions  to  the  bread  (or  wa- 
fer) the  memorial  of  the  broken  body  of  Christ. 

The  case  is  very  different  among  Protes- 
tants :  as  they  have  not  assigned  any  meaning 
to  any  part  of  our  Lord's  Supper,  upon  which 
they  all  (especially  of  this  island)  are  not  agreed, 
I  can  see  little  reason  why  a  good  man,  when 
he  has  not  access  to  communicate  with  those 
with  whom  he  usually  assembles,  may  not  par- 
take of  the  Lord's  Supper  with  those  Protes- 
tants with  whom  he  can,  at  that  time,  most  con- 
veniently meet,  rather  than  neglect  an  opportu- 
nity of  "  shewing  forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he 
come."  Kven  though  such  a  person  should  de- 
clare, that  he  retains  affection  to  the  church  and 
forms  in  which  he  has  been  educated,  I  can  see 
no  reason  why  any  other  society  of  Protestants 


6.8  Obligations  to  partake,  and 

should  refuse  to  receive  him  to  partake  with 
them  of  our  Lord's  Supper. 

I  am  fully  persuaded,  if  the  disputes  which 
have  happened  about  smaller  matters  in  religion 
had  been  conducted  with  more  of  the  spirit  of 
the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus,  there  might  have 
been  at  this  day,  more  generous  terms  of  com- 
munion in  the  Christian  church.  For,  as  hold- 
ing relation  to  the  head,  all  that  love  Christ  in 
sincerity  have  communion  one  with  another, 
whether  they  sit  at  the  same  table  or  not. 

How  distressful  is  it  to  think,  that  this  solemn 
ordinance,  instituted  by  the  Prince  of  Peace,  in 
commemoration  of  the  most  amazing  instance 
of  goodness  and  benevolence  ever  heard  of  a- 
mong  the  sons  of  men,  should  have  been  per- 
verted to  the  purposes  of  strife  and  animosity, 
to  widen  the  smaller  differences  in  opinion  a- 
mong  his  followers,  rather  than  to  unite  their 
hearts  in  love  !  would  it  not  have  been  far  more 
consistent  with  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  to  have 
improved  this  feast  of  love  as  a  means  of  enlarg- 
ing our  hearts  with  friendly  and  benevolent  af- 
fections one  to  another,  as  we  are  all  "  fellow- 
4<  citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household 
u  of  God?"  as  it  is  promised,  in  the  days  of 
the  Messiah,  that  those  who  had  long  lived  in 
animosities  like  the  children  of  Israel  and  Judah, 
should  forget  their  quarrels,  and  unite  together 
in  saving,  fc<  Come,  and  let  us  join  ourselves  to 
u  the  Lord  in  a  perpetual  covenant  never  to  be 
u  forgotten,*" 

•  Jer.  I.  5. 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.         09 

I  am  far  from  intending,  from  what  I  have  said 
on  this  head,  to  oust  any  unfriendly  reflection 
on  the  rules  and  good  order  of  the  Christian 
churches.  Great  respect  is  due  to  these  things, 
when  they  are  not  inconsistent  with  the  word 
of  God,  the  rights  of  conscience,  or  the  peace 
of  human  society.  In  experience,  these  rules 
and  forms  have  been  the  means  of  promoting 
religion.  A  person  who  receives  a  ministry  in 
the  church  comes  under  the  most  solemn  obli- 
gations to  observe  and  maintain  them.  It  can 
be  no  surprise,  if  those  who,  from  education  and 
habit,  have  been  accustomed  to  listen  to  one 
side,  should  be  attached  to  the  forms  of  one  part 
of  the  Christian  church  more  than  to  another. 
Men  of  eminent  understanding  have  thought 
themselves  obliged  zealously  to  defend  these 
things,  as  connected  with  civil  and  religious  li- 
berty;  and,  while  they  mixed  no  bitterness  or 
uncharitableness  with  their  defence,  their  con- 
duct merited  commendation. 

But  it  is  fit  always  to  remember,  that  these 
things  are  matter  of  order,  necessary  and  useful ; 
but  not  essential,  or  terms  of  salvation :  and  con- 
sidering the  spirit  of  the  present  age,  that  infi- 
delity and  indifference  to  ail  religion  are  the  great 
threatening  diseases,  the  disciples  of  Christ 
should,  in  heart  and  affection,  unite  among  them- 
selves, and  be  careful  that  their  divisions  and 
animosities  give  no  advantage  to  the  common 
enemy  to  cast  reproach  on  them,  or  weaken  the 
interest  of  the  kingdom  of  God.   This  would  be 


c  2 


TO  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

a  conduct  suitable  to  the  children  of  the  same 
family,  and  servants  of  the  same  Lord  ;  proving* 
that  though  there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  it  is  the 
same  Spirit ;  differences  of  administrations,  but 
the  same  Lord;  diversities  of  operations,  but 
it  is  the  same  God  which  worketh  all  in  all. 

Such  was  the  primitive  and  apostolical  com- 
munion among  the  members  of  the  body  of 
Christ ;  and  what  blessed  effects  did  this  pro- 
duce ?  whaTt  a  spirit  of  universal  benevolence  did 
then  prevail  in  the  Churches  ?  They  sent,  upon 
every  occasion,  bounteous  supply  to  their  ne- 
cessitous brethren  at  a  distance,  and  affectionate, 
ardent,  good  wishes  for  each  others  prosperity, 
in  the  epistles  to  all  the  Churches.  Although 
{hey  might,  in  smaller  matters,  differ  in  opinion 
from  one  another ;  yet  they  maintained  '*  the 
u  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace."  For 
the  multitude  of  them  who  truly  believed,  and 
obeyed  the  gospel,  "  were  of  one  heart,  and  one 
k<  soul,  neither  said  any  of  them,  that  ought  of 
H  the  things  which  he  possessed  was  his  own ; 
•'  but  they  had  all  things  common,  and  with 
•'  great  power  gave  the  Apostles  witness,  of 
"  the  resurrection  of  Jesus ;  and  great  grace 
u  was  upon  them  all  *."  By  these  means,  in 
early  days,  the  churches  of  Christ  li  were  edifi- 
**  ed ;  and,  walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord, 
u4Rid  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  were  multi- 
plied f." 

What  has  been  said  on  the  terms  of  commu. 

*  Aetsiv.  31.  32,  33.         i  Acts  ix.  31. 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  71 

nioo,  may  be  thought  by  some  good  men  liable 
to  one  objection,  That  such  generous  or  open 
sentiments  professed  toward  those  who  differ 
from  us,  will  be  in  danger  of  being  abused  by 
the  most  uncharitable  of  them,  to  harden  them 
in  their  censorious  and  uncharitable  dispositions; 
like  a  concession,  that  others  judge  them  in  the 
right,  though  they  themselves  condemn  every 
body  that  differs  from  them,  as  being  in  the 
wrong,  and  in  no  safe  condition. 

This  is  the  improvement  which  some  me% 
make  of  the  charity  maintained  towards  them  by 
others.  They  employ  it  as  an  argument  to  per- 
vert unwary  people  to  their  party,  from  this  con- 
sideration, that  others  allow,  that  men  may  be 
saved  in  the  communion  of  the  church  to 
which  they  belong;  but  they  deny,  that  we 
can  be  saved  ;  and  therefore  allege,  that 
men  are  safer  on  the  side  where  there  is 
some  charity  for  them,  than  on  that  side  for 
which  there  is  none.  The  candid  reply  is,  That 
charity  itself,  and  the  best  things,  may  be  per- 
verted to  a  wrong  purpose  ;  even  the  doctrine 
of  the  grace  of  God  has  been  turned  to  lascivi- 
ousness.  But,  if  charity  be  a  mark  given  by 
Christ  himself,  whereby  all  men  shall  know  his 
disciples  *,  any  sect  void  of  it  has  little  claim  to 
the  name  of  Christian.  The  fate  of  the  vain  os- 
tentatious Pharisee,  compared  to  the  humble 
Publican,  shows  us  of  what  account  meu  are  in 
the  sight  of  God,  who  esteem  themselves  righ- 

*  John  xiii.  35. 


72  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

teous,  and  despise  others  :  they,  and  their  servi- 
ces, are  an  abomination  before  him. 

Besides  this,  the  Supper  of  our  Lord  is  his 
own  table  ;  he  alone  can  establish  the  terms  of 
admission  to  it.  No  man,  or  church,  or  socie- 
ty of  men,  by  whatever  name  they  may  call 
themselves,  have  any  power  to  make  any  thing 
a  term  of  admission  to  the  Lord's  table,  or  a 
ground  of  exclusion  from  it,  which  Christ  him- 
self hath  not  authorized.  Ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel are  only  servants  of  Christ,  and  dare  not  shut 
the  kingdom  of  God  against  any  man  whom  their 
great  Lord  and  Master  admits  to  it.  What  is 
here  said  on  the  terms  of  communion,  seems  to 
have  foundation  in  the  ordinance  itself,  as  the 
communion  of  the  body  of  Christ ;  for  in  it  we 
all  partake  of  one  bread  ;  and  is  agreeable  to 
that  union,  and  those  relations,  in  which  all  the 
true  disciples  of  Christ  stand  to  one  another, 
as  members  of  the  same  body  ;  and  to  Christ 
Jesus  the  head,  "  from  whom  the  wrhole  body 
u  maketh  increase  to  the  edifying  of  itself  in 
«  love." 


*  Who  are  the  proper  subjects  of  the  Sacra-' 
ments  ?  This  question  has  a  respect  to  two 
sorts  of  persons,  viz.  those  who  are  born  out  of 
the  Church,  and  so  must  enter  at  such  years  of 
understanding  as  to  be  capable  of  transacting 
for  themselves,  if  ever  they  do ;  and  such  as 
are  born  in  the  Church,  i.  e.  of  parents  who  are 

*  From  the  Rev  John  Blair's  Essays. 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.    To 

themselves  visible  Church  members.     The  lat- 
ter have  a  right  to  membership  by  virtue  of  the 
covenant,  as  subsisting  between  God  and  his  vi- 
sible church.     It  is  true,    the  child's  right  to 
membership  follows  the  right   of  the  parents, 
either  both,  or  any  one  of  them.   Hence,  if  pa- 
rents be  suspended  from  privileges  by  the  cen- 
sures of  the  Church,  or  charged  with  such  of- 
fences as  expose  thereto,  the  child's  right  is  in 
suspence  until  that  stumbling-block  be  remo- 
ved ;  for  hereby  the  parents  right  is  called  in 
question.     The  reason  is,  that  though  the  pa- 
rents are  not  cut  off  from  membership,  but  on- 
ly under  a  temporary  suspension  from  privilege  ; 
by  which  discipline,  the  church  is  dealing  with 
them,  in  order  to  bring  them  to  repentance,  and 
to  behave  as  becomes  members,  and  so  recover 
their  right ;  yet,  if  to  such  offence,  they  should 
add  obstinate  impenitence,  and  all  due  pains  to 
bring   them  to  repentance,  prove   ineffectual  ; 
they  would  be  cut  off.   In  that  case,  they  would 
be  excluded  all  right,  and  so  could  not  be  a  me- 
dium, by  which  their  child  could  derive  any. 
Therefore,  their  conduct,  in   the  mean  while, 
renders  their  right  doubtful  until  they  appear  to 
repent ;  consequently,  the  child's  right  is  doubt- 
ful also.     But  still,  it  is  not  the  faith  of  the  pa- 
rents, even  considered  as  visible,  which  imme- 
diately confers  the  right  upon  the  child.  For  an 
act  of  faith,  considered  simply  as  such,  is  mere- 
ly personal,  and  can  communicate  nothing  to  a- 
nother  ;  but  it  is  from  the  parent's  visible  inte- 
rest in  the  covenant,  and  its  external  privileges, 


74  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,   AND 

in  consequence  of  their  visible  faith,  (of  which 
privileges,  its  comprehending  their  infant  seed 
together  with  themselves,  is  an  important  one) 
that  the  child  derives  its  right  of  membership, 
i.  e.  from  the  parent's  visible  Church-member- 
ship. 

As  to  the  former,  viz.  such  as  are  born  out 
of  the  church,  they  have  no  right  of  membership, 
until,  by  their  own  personal  transaction,  they  ac- 
quire it.  This  is  done  by  acknowledging  the 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel  to  be  true,  yielding  sub- 
jection to  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  Jesus 
Christ*,  publickly  embracing  the  true  reli- 
gion and  expressing  a  consent  to  the  covenant 
of  grace  in  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism,  which  is 
the  door  of  entrance,  and  seal  of  membership. 
Thus  the  son  of  the  stranger  joins  himself 
to  the  Lord,  by  taking  hold  of  his  covenant.* 

But  in  order  to  throw  greater  light  upon  my 
subject  in  my  further  consideration  of  it,  I 
think  it  necessary  to  stop  while  1  consider  ano- 
ther question  of  great  importance  here,  viz. 
What  is  that  profession  of  true  religion  which 
constitutes  membership  in  the  visible  church  ? 
I  say,  constitutes  membership.  For,  to  be  visi- 
bly one  of  the  true  religion,  and  to  be  a  mem- 
ber of  the  visible  Church,  is  the  same  thing. 
Now,  this  includes  in  it  an  acknowledgment  of 
the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  as  true,  and  obliga- 
tion of  the  laws  of  Christ,  both  verbal ;  for  with 
the  mouth,  confession  is  made  unto  salvation,  f 

•  Isaiah  Ivi.  6.        f  Rom.  x.  9, 10. 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.         75 

And  practical  by  obedience,  and  partaking  of 
baptism  as  a  sign  and  seal  of  embracing  the  true 
religion,  and  dedication  to  God  and  his  service. 
In  which  covenant  relation  to  God  thus  solemn- 
ly ratified,  visible  Church-membership  formal- 
ly lies.  Membership  in  the  Church  is  prere- 
quisite to,  and  supposed  in  approaching  to  the 
other  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  not 
constituted  by  it.  In  this  Sacrament,  former  en- 
gagements are  recognized  and  renewed ;  and 
the  edification  and  spiritual  advantage  of  those 
already  members  of  the  Church,  is  promoted. 
Now,  the  aforesaid  profession  and  dedication  is 
either  actual,  when  persons  are  arrived  to  years 
of  understanding,  and  transact  for  themselves,  or 
virtual ;  in  the  profession  and  transactions,  in 
their  behalf,  of  those  who  have  a  right  to  dedi- 
cate them  to  God,  as  in  the  case  of  infants.  These 
are  comprehended  in  the  covenant  with  the 
Church  as  the  seed  of  professing  parents,  and 
are  visibly  children  of  the  promise,  their  parents 
are  engaged  to  train  them  up  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord,  and  teach  them,  from 
their  early  childhood,  the  ways  of  true  religion. 
As  they  become  capable  of  instruction,  it  is  ex- 
pected of  them  that  they  will  be  acquainted  with, 
and  acknowledge  the  truths,  and  practise  the 
duties  of  religion  ;  and  are  reputed  the  profes- 
sors of  it  until  they  disavow  it.  If  any  thing 
contrary  to  this  should  appear,  either  in  neglect- 
ing the  known  duties  of  religion  or  immorali- 
ties in  practise  ;  they  ought  to  be  dealt  with  by 
the  discipline  of  the  Church,  until  they  are  either 


76  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

reclaimed,  or  regularly  cut  off.  To  the  neglect 
of  this,  no  doubt,  it  is  in  a  great  degree  owing, 
that  there  is  so  much  negligence  in  matters  of 
religion  amongst  youth.  Now  all  these  together, 
and  none  of  them  alone,  amount  to  a  visible  pro- 
fession of  true  religion.     The  most  orthodox 
sentiments  only  shew,  that  a  person  owns  sound 
principles  to  be  true,  at  least  understands  them, 
but  does  not  amount  to  a  profession  of  embrac- 
ing them.  The  practice  of  religious  duties  af- 
fords yet  a  higher  probability,  that  the  doctrines 
of  religion    make  some  impression    upon  the 
heart,  yet  does  not  signify  upon  what  principles 
a  person  professes  to  act ;  whether  from  a  su- 
preme regard  to  God,  or  merely  from  custom, 
£sfc.  but  when  to  both  these  is  added,  a  solemn 
covenant-transaction,  in  partaking  of  a  seal  there- 
of instituted  on  purpose,  not  only  to  confirm  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel  on  God's  part,  but  to  ex- 
press the  man's  consent  to  the  covenant  of  grace, 
and  dedication  of  himself  to  the  Lord,  to  serve 
him  upon  the  principles  thereof;  then  the  mat- 
ter becomes  determinate  and  fixed  ;  if  he  does 
all  this  with  his  whole  heart,  he  is  a  true  Chris- 
tian.   By  this  external  profession  he  visibly  ap- 
pears such,  and  never  does  appear  such,  until  he 
partake  of,  at  least,  the  initiating  seal  and  token 
of  the  covenant.  As  the  word  and  sacraments  are 
the  marks  of  the  true  Church,  so  they  are  of  the 
true  Christian. 

There  are,  indeed,  who  place  a  profession  of 
true  religion  in  something  beside  the  above- 
mentioned,  and  altogether  prior  to  coming  to 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.    71 

Sacraments,  namely  some  declaration  that  they 
do  so  far  as  they  know  themselves,  accept  of 
Christ  as  their  Saviour,  and  take  God  for  their 
God,  and  give  themselves  up  to  his  service  with 
all  their  hearts.  Upon  this  principle,  many  mi- 
nisters draw  up  a  covenant  in  form,  containing 
such  expressions  as  the  above.  This  they  re- 
quire persons  to  take  publickly,  previous  to 
their  approaching  the  Lord's  Table,  or  present- 
ing their  children  to  Baptism.  No  doubt  a  mi- 
nister should  be  very  careful  in  examining  such 
as  he  admits  to  Sacraments.  Hereby  he  will  de- 
tect the  grossly  ignorant,  who  ought,  on  that  ac- 
count, to  be  debarred.  In  this  way  he  will  be 
under  better  advantages  for  apprehending  what 
views  and  sense  of  things  they  have,  and  to 
judge  what  advices  it  may  be  proper  to  give 
them.  But  I  have  some  exceptions  to  the  requi- 
sition of  a  declaration  of  such  a  tenor,  or  taking 
a  covenant  drawn  up  in  such  a  set  form.  I  doubt 
it  will  rather  prove  a  snare,  than  to  be  of  any 
real  advantage.  Such  a  covenant  is  designed 
either,  as  an  immediate  transaction  with  God, 
or  as  a  solemn  declaration  to  the  Church,  for 
their  greater  satisfaction  as  to  the  persons  ad- 
mitted. In  the  former  view,  it  is  useless  and 
superfluous  :  for  it  is  only  doing  the  same  thing 
that  is  done  in  partaking  of  the  seals  of  the  co- 
venant, which  God  has  instituted  as  public  signs, 
and  solemn  ratifications  of  such  a  transaction  ; 
with  this  difference,  that  instead  of  the  publ-iG 
actions  of  divine  appointment  assigns,  to  which 
the  word  of  God  has  affixed  such  a  sense,  such 
H 


78  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

a  particular  form  of  expression  is  proposed  as 
the  public  sign ;  and  with  respect  to  persons  al- 
ready baptized,  it  seems  to  insinuate,  that  they 
are  not  already  in  the  church,  and  in  covenant 
with  God  by  virtue  of  their  baptism,  which  is 
contrary  to  fact.  But  are  not  the  signs  which  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  appointed,  and  the  manner 
of  covenanting  which  he  has  prescribed  suffi- 
cient, without  the  addition  of  our  own  inventions 
to  supply  the  defect  ? 

But  if  only  a  declaration,  as  matter  of  satisfac- 
tion to  the  Church,  is  designed  ;  pray,  will  it  af- 
ford better  evidence  of  a  man's  sincerity  of 
heart,  to  hear  him  pronounce  such  words,  than 
to  see  him  use  actions,  which,  by  divine  appoint- 
ment, signify  substantially  the  same  thing  ?  and 
therefore,  of  the  same  import  with  the  aforesaid 
declaration  ?  To  require  such  a  declaration  is  to 
require  a  person  to  pronounce  or  affirm  some- 
thing concerning  the  exercises  of  his  own  heart 
as  a  term  of  admission.  This  cannot  be  consi- 
dered as  a  declaration  of  a  matter  of  fact,  but 
only  his  opinion,  or,  at  most,  judgment  of  him- 
self. Now  his  judgment  may  be  formed  upon 
evidence,  that  is  really  such  to  himself.  But, 
pray,  what  evidence  is  that  to  others  :  Here  I 
doubt,  the  formal  professor  will  be  more  ready 
to  pronounce,  than  many  a  true  Christian.  I 
would  appeal  to  the  ministers  who  are  in  this 
practice,  whether  on  the  one  hand,  they  don't 
find  reason  to  fear  that  these  declarations,  or 
-even  covenants,  are  sunk  to  matter  of  mere  form ,; 
and  on  the  other,    whether   they  don't  find  a 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  79 

number  of  poor  perplexed  souls,  upon  whom 
they  must  look  in  a  judgment  of  scriptural  cha- 
rity, as  the  children  of  God  ;  who  yet  are  full 
of  apprehension  they  have  not  the  saving  grace 
of  God.  Yea,  their  prevailing  opinion  may  be  on 
that  side,  and  dare  not  make  such  a  peremptory 
declaration,  either  to  their  fellow-men,  or  in  a 
covenant-transaction  with  God  ;  and  though 
many  a  salvo  be  proposed,  yet  their  conscience 
is  not  satisfied.  May  not  a  christian  really  give 
up  his  heart  to  God,  and  yet  not  be  able  to  de- 
clare he  has  done  so,  even  in  his  own  judgment  ? 
Others  may  flatter  themselves  that  they  have  re- 
ally consented  to  the  covenant,  when,  indeed,  it 
is  otherwise.  Can  it  be  the  divine  will  that  mat- 
ters should  be  set  upon  so  precarious  a  footing, 
and  such  a  snare  should  be  laid  for  men,  to  em- 
barrass their  way  ?  Shall  our  duty  be  directed  by 
so  uncertain  a  rule  ? 

If  it  be  objected  here,  that  I  maintain  sacra- 
mental transactions  to  be  substantially  of  the  same 
import,  and  sacraments  to  be  signs  of  our  con- 
sent to  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  will  not  that 
involve  the  same  difficulty  ? 

I  answer,  No.  The  sacraments  are  indeed 
signs  of  our  consent  to  the  covenant :  but  they 
are  not  signs  of  our  opinion  of  the  kind  of  that 
consent  too  ;  they  are  not  signs  of  our  declaring 
that  consent  to  be  true  and  saving.  It  is  one 
thing  really  to  consent ;  and  another  to  be  able 
to  pronounce  that  consent  to  be  right ;  the  com- 
mand of  God  is  a  plain  rule  of  duty.  A  person, 
therefore,  under  great  perplexity  about  the  state 


80 

of  his  soul,  may  yet  find  himself  bound  in  con- 
science to  attempt  obedience  to  God.  Very 
true,  he  ought  to  have  in  view  the  nature  of  the 
duty,  and  what  is  required  of  him  in  it.  He  is 
required  to  give  the  full  consent  of  his  heart  to  the 
new  covenant,  and  yield  himself  up  to  God.  This 
is  the  business  that  lies  before  krim,  and  which 
he  is  to  attempt  in  receiving  the  seals  of  the  co- 
venant, but  here  is  no  set  form  of  words  he  is  to 
use ;  he  will  transact  with  God  in  such  mental 
language  as  best  expresses  the  frame  of  his 
heart.  Perhaps,  he  cannot  feel  that  freedom  of 
Heart  he  desires,  and  dare  not  say,  I  do  con- 
sent ;  I  do  give  up  my  heart  to  thee  O  God, 
but  can  only  say,  1  desire  to  cleave  to  Christ ; 
O  to  be  found  in  him  !  O  that  I  could  get  my 
heart  opened,  and  full  of  cheerfulness  in  giving 
myself  away  to  the  Lord.  If  he  has  just  appre- 
hensions of  these  things,  and  these  desires  un- 
der these  apprehensions  are  really  from  his  heart, 
he  does  consent  and  yield  himself  to  God  ;  and 
yet,  at  the  same  time,  may  be  far  from  being 
satisfied  that  he  has  done  so,  but  go  away  full  of 
bitter  complaints.  It  is  easy  to  see  the  wide  dif- 
ference in  the  two  cases. 

But  it  is  time  to  return  to  the  question  I  left. 
When  the  sons  of  the  stranger  are  instructed  in 
the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  are  convinced  in 
their  judgment  and  conscience,  they  are  true, 
and  exhibit  the  true  religion  ;  that  they  are 
bound  by  the  authority  of  God  to  embrace  it, 
and  yield  obedience  to  the  divine  laws  ;  it  is 
their  immediate  duty  to  embrace  it,  and  that 


LXCUSES  FOll  NEGLECTING,  COXSIDERED.  81 

publicly  and  avowedly  by  joining  themselves 
to  the  Lord,  and  his  church,  in  the  sacrament 
of  baptism  ;  and  thus  make  apubiick  profession 
of  the  true  religion,  come  under  solemn  obliga- 
tions to  walk  in  the  ways  of  God's  command- 
ments, and  under  the  care  and  discipline  of  the 
Church.  The  blessed  God  will  not  have  mat- 
ters  lying  loose  ;  but  has  appointed  the  Sacra- 
ments to  bring  them  to  a  point,  and  to  reduce 
persons  to  some  determination,  either  to  appear 
for  God  and  religion,  or  reject  him  ;  nor  may 
they  plead,  by  way  of  excuse,  that  though  they 
are  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion, and  that  all  this  is  their  duty,  yet  their 
hearts  hang  back,  and  do  not  yield.  God  will 
not  sustain  this  as  a  plea.  Shall  their  disobe. 
dience  stand  as  a  good  argument  why  they 
should  not  obey  ?  Surely  they  are  more  likely 
to  obtain  divine  grace  in  the  Church,  than  out  of 
it  among  the  heathen ;  they  ought  to  stretch 
out  the  withered  hand,  to  attempt  giving  them- 
selves to  the  Lord  in  covenant.  They  are  to 
set  the  terms  of  the  covenant  in  view,  and  at- 
tempt to  give  the  consent  of  their  heart,  and 
that  in  the  solemn  transaction  which  God  has 
commanded.  How  know  they,  but  while  they 
are  attempting,  the  heart  may  be  made  to  yield  ? 
or,  if  it  still  hang  back,  and  does  not  go  forth  in 
acts  of  faith ;  are  they  not  likely  to  be  more 
exercised  about  the  matter,  now  they  are  under 
solemn  obligation  thereto,  than  when  they  had 
not  come  under  it  ? 

Now  all  baptized  persons,  I  have  already  shew 
h  2 


82  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

ed,  are  visible  members  of  the  church  of  Christ 
By  this  dedication  they  are  bound  to  attend  up- 
on all  the  duties  and  ordinances  belonging  to  the 
christian  character,  as  they  shall  arrive  to  suffi- 
cient strength  of  natural  powers  ;  different  du- 
ties require  different  degrees  of  natural  ability. 
The  want  of  this  will  excuse  from  the  discharge 
of  duties,  which  would  otherwise  be  incumbent: 
but  want  of  moral  ability,  through  our  default, 
does  not  excuse  at  all.  Therefore,  I  say,  they 
stand  bound  by  their  baptismal  dedication,  to 
serve  God  in  all  the  duties  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, for  which  they  have  a  sufficient  natural 
capacity  ;  and  it  is  given  in  commission  to  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  to  teach  those  they  have 
discipled,  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  Christ 
has  commanded.*  Now  the  Lord's  Supper  is 
one  of  those  things  he  has  commanded  his  disci- 
ples. Therefore  all  baptized  persons  are  bound, 
as  they  come  to  years  of  understanding,  to  at- 
tend upon  it. 

It  is  indeed  here  to  be  observed,  that  such  as 
:re  grossly  ignorant,  having  sufficient  natural 
capacity,  or  guilty  of  gross  immoralities,  or  ha- 
bitually neglect  the  known  duties  of  practical 
religion,  are  to  be  excluded  from  the  Sacra- 
ments by  the  regular  exercise  of  church  disci- 
pline, till  by  repentance  and  reformation  they 
remove  the  offence.  The  reason  is,  that  these 
things  are  such  visible  violations  of,  and  con- 
tradictions to  the  covenant,  that  to  admit  such, 
would  destroy  one  great  design  of  the  Sacra- 

*  Matt,  xxviii.  30. 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  83 

ments,  viz.  to  preserve  the  external  holiness  and 
purity  of  the  church,  and  be  visible  signs  of  our 
consent  to  God's  gracious  covenant,  and  avouch- 
ing the  Lord  for  our  God ;  for  they,  who,  by 
their  works  deny  God,  cannot  be  supposed  to 
choose  him.  It  would  be,  in  short,  to  prostitute 
the  ordinance,  and  leave  no  visible  difference 
between  the  deportment  of  church-members  and 
the  world,  and  destroy  all  distinction  of  the 
church  from  those  who  are  without.  But  all  this 
is  so  far  from  infering,  that  the  law  command- 
ing attendance  upon  Sacraments  does  not  bind 
them,  that  it  supposes  the  contrary.  For  how 
else  can  this  prohibition  be  considered  as  a  pe* 
nalty  and  privation  of  privilege  ?  It  is  upon  this 
principle,  viz.  the  obligation  of  the  duty,  that 
such  censure  serves  to  affect  the  conscience, 
and  awaken  the  offender  to  repentance,  that  he 
may  be  restored.  The  ground  of  such  a  cen- 
sure must  be  some  fact  or  facts,  which  can  be 
certainly  known  and  judged  of;  and  of  such  a 
nature  as,  if  obstinately  persisted  in,  after  all  due 
pains  taken  with  the  party,  would  cut  him  off 
from  all  right  of  membership.  The  obligation 
to  attend  those  holy  ordinances,  binds  such  of- 
fenders to  shun  the  scandals  which  exclude 
them ;  and  by  thus  excluding  themselves,  they 
very  criminally  turn  their  backs  upon  them. 

But  the  church  has  the  authority  of  Christ 
for  thus  excluding  the  scandalous.*  But  now  I 
have  written  unto  you,  says  the  apostle  not  to 
keep  company,  if  any  man  that  is  called  a  bro- 

•  1  Cor.  v.  11. 


84  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

ther,  be  a  fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an  idolator, 
or  a  railer,  or  a  drunkard,  or  an  extortioner,  with 
such  an  one,  no,  not  to  eat.  I  am  not  so  clear 
as  some  commentators  seem  to  be,  that  the  eat- 
ing here  mentioned  does  not  mean  eating  at  the 
Lord's  table,  because  connected  with  the  cau- 
tion not  to  keep  company,  I  rather  think  it  does; 
for  they  are  plainly  matters  of  discipline  of  which 
the  apostle  speaks,  and  a  conduct  consequent 
upon  the  church's  passing  judgment,  as  appears 
by  the  next  verse  ;  and  it  was  natural  enough 
to  observe,  that  such  a  judgment  passed  upon  a 
person,  inferred  an  obligation  on  church- mem- 
bers, to  avoid  even  that  civil  society  or  compa- 
ny with  such  a  person,  which  they  might  allow 
themselves  in  with  their  heathen  neighbours. 
However,  if  it  intend  eating  in  ordinary  meals, 
the  argument  from  this  passage  in  support  of 
discipline,  will  still  hold  good.  For  if  we  must 
avoid  civil  society  or  fellowship  with  a  person 
at  his,  or  our  own  table,  much  more  such  a  so- 
lemn act  of  communion  as  eating  with  him  at 
the  Lord's  table.  But  all  regular  members  of 
the  visible  church,  of  understanding -sufficient  to 
be  able  to  attend  to  the  Lord's  Supper  as  a  com- 
memorative sign,  are  bound,  by  the  authority 
of  Jesus  Christ,  to  shew  forth  his  death  till  he 
come  and  are  highly  criminal  in  neglecting  it  y 
and  such  as  are  parents,  are  bound  to  dedicate 
their  children  to  God  in  baptism.  By  this  means, 
the  visible  church  is  propagated  and  preserved. 
It  is  doubtless  one  end  of  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism.  to  collect  materials  into  the  church,  and 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.    8j 

under  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  as  subjects 
of  divine  influences. 

It  will  be  objected  here,  that  many  baptized  per- 
sons,  yea,  it  is  to  be  feared  the  greater  part,  are 
u  nre  gene  rate,  and  unbaptized  persons  may  be 
convinced  in  their  consciences,  that  the  Christian 
religion  is  true,  and  it  is  their  duty  to  embrace 
it,  yet  be  still  in  a  natural  state  ;  therefore  it  will 
follow,  that  the  unregenerate  ought  to  come  to 
Sacraments,  this  their  unhappy  state  notwith- 
standing. I  admit  the  consequence ;  they  are 
under  the  same  obligation  to  this  as  to  other  du- 
ties of  religion. 

If  it  be  said,  that  if  the  unregenerate  are  bound 
to  come  to  Sacraments,  then  it  will  follow,  that 
the  Sacraments  are  not  visible  signs  of  true 
Christians,  or  of  a  visible  profession  of  true  re- 
ligion. 

I  deny  the  consequence.  It  no  more  follows 
on  this  than  the  contrary  supposition  :  for  on  all 
hands  it  is  granted  that  many  unregenerate  per- 
sons do  come  to  Sacraments.  Indeed,  if  I  al- 
leged no  more  was  required  of  them  in  that 
transaction,  than  an  unregenerate  sinner,  con- 
tinuing such,  can  do,  then  the  aforesaid  conse- 
quence would  follow.  For  the  Sacraments  can 
be  visible  signs  of  no  more  than  they  signify  or 
is  required  in  them.  But  I  only  say,  the  per- 
sons who  are  unregenerate,  are,  notwithstanding, 
really  bound  by  the  authority  of  God,  to  this, 
as  well  as  any  other  duty  of  religion  ;  they  dis- 
obey him  in  neglecting  it ;  nor  will  their  unre- 
generacy  be  any  plea  for  their  neglect.    But  yet 


86  OBLIGATIONS    TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

they  are  bound  to  do  all  in  attending  that  the  true 
Christian  does:  to  accept  Christ  as  their  Saviour, 
make  choice  of  God  as  their  God,  and  to  give 
themselves  wholly  to  him.  He  requires  the  un- 
regenerate  to  make  them  new  hearts,  and  turn 
unto  the  Lord.*  And  surely  he  may  justly  re- 
quire them  to  do  this  with  external  solemnity 
by  way  of  covenant,  and  visibly  avow  and  ratify 
their  joining  themselves  to  the  Lord.  By  the  in- 
stitution of  these  ordinances,  the  Lord  as  it  were, 
savs  to  sinners,  it  is  not  sufficient  to  entertain 
a  good  opinion  of  religion  as  true  and  necessary, 
but  I  insist  upon  it,  that  you  will  either  embrace 
or  reject  it ;  avouch  me  as  your  God,  or  disavow 
me.  Choose  you  this  day  whom  you  will  serve. 
Here  is  my  covenant ;  here  are  the  terms  of  sal- 
vation ;  these  overtures  I  solemnly  ratify,  on 
my  part,  by  these  public  signs  and  seals,  as  most 
sure  foundations,  on  which  you  may  safely  de- 
pend, and  I  demand  that  you  strike  a  covenant 
with  me,  and  openly  confirm  it  by  receiving 
these  seals  thereof.  If,  indeed,  in  this  transac- 
tion your  hearts  hang  back,  and  don't  consent, 
I  cannot  approve  and  accept  you  ;  yet  if  you  ne- 
glect this  institution,  and  will  not  so  much  as 
make  the  attempt  to  yield  yourselves,  I  will  con- 
sider this  as  an  open  and  avowed  rejection  of  me 
and  my  service.  Is  there  any  thing  unreasona- 
ble in  this  requisition  ?  and  who  can  tell  but 
that  in  setting  these  matters  solemnly  before 
them,  and  attempting,  in  obedience  to  God's 
commands  to  give  themselves  up  to  him  in  these 

*  Eztk.  xv;ii.  32,  33. 


EXCUSES    FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  87 

solemn  covenant-transactions,  the  Holy  Spirit 
may  concur,  and  make  the  heart  to  yield  ?  If 
He  do,  the  business  is  done;  they  are  true  Chris- 
tians ;  and  who  that  beholds  these  solemn  trans- 
actions, can  say  the  heart  does  not  consent  ? 
Therefore  the  Sacraments  are  visible  signs  of  a 
profession  of  true  religion,  and  the  persons  who 
partake  of  them  are  to  be  treated  as  Christians, 
till  the  contrary  appears. 

It  is  sometimes  said,  that  the  unregenerate 
are,  indeed,  obliged  to  come  to  Sacraments,  but 
not  immediately  :  it  is  their  duty,  but  not  their 
immediate  duty.  They  are  first  to  come  to 
Christ,  and  then  come  to  Sacraments. 

To  which  I  answer,  then  it  is  not  now  their 
duty  in  present  circumstances;  therefore  their 
staying  back  is  so  far  from  being  criminal,  that 
they  do  right.  To  talk  of  the  mediate  obligation 
of  a  law  prescribing  duty,  is  a  contradiction. 
The  law  either  obliges  a  person  now,  or  it  does 
not  oblige  him.  In  a  covenant  or  promise,  there 
may  be  a  conditional  obligation,  which  depends 
upon  some  event,  or  something  to  be  done  by 
another  as  the  condition.  Yet  even  then,  until 
the  condition  takes  place,  there  is  no  actual  ob- 
ligation. But  a  law  obliges  without  any  other 
condition  than  the  rightful  authority  of  the  le- 
gislator ;  and  it  obliges  all  to  whom  it  is  given, 
to  immediate  obedience  from  the  time  of  its 
promulgation,  or  commencement :  and  the  ne- 
glect of  it  exposes  to  punishment  as  a  disobe- 
dience, cases  of  natural  inability  only  excepted. 

As  to  the  newly  invented  plea,  that  God  com- 


88  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

mands  no  unregenerate  duties,  (a  very  odd 
phrase)  or  does  not  command  unregenerate  men, 
as  such,  to  do  duties.  It  really  does  not  de- 
serve a  serious  answer ;  for  the  meaning  must 
be,  either  that  the  law  of  God  does  not  com- 
mand any  duties  to  be  done  upon  the  principles 
from  which  unregenerate  men  act,  or  in  the  man- 
ner in  which  only  they  can  perform  them,  while 
they  continue  such,  and  then  it  is  nothing  to  the 
purpose.  None  of  my  reasonings  are  built  up- 
on, or  require  any  such  supposition.  No,  it  is 
a  spiritual  holy  obedience  that  is  required  of 
them  ;  the  same  that  is  required  of  the  most 
holy  saint :  and  their  unregeneracy  or  moral  in- 
ability, affords  them  no  excuse. — Or  else  it  must 
intend,  that  persons  who  are  unregenerate,  are 
not  comprehended  in  the  obligation  of  the  law ; 
it  does  not  command  them  to  do  any  thing  in 
religion,  till  they  shall  be  regenerated.  The  very 
mention  of  which  so  glares  with  absurdity,  that 
I  believe  there  will  none  be  found  daring  enough 
to  assert  it.  For.  upon  that  supposition,  the  un- 
regenerate would  be  set  free  from  all  obligation 
to  the  practice  of  duty  at  once  ;  their  neglect  of 
all  religion  would  be  no  disobedience. 

But  it  is  objected,  there  is  a  difference  be- 
tween natural  and  positive,  or  instituted  duties. 
The  former,  as  prayer  for  instance,  bind  all  man- 
kind by  virtue  of  the  original  law  given  to  man 
in  innocence  ;  but  the  latter  are,  by  the  qualifi- 
cations required  in  them,  limited  to  the  persons 
in  whom  the  qualifications  are  found. 

Answ.  Natural  duties  are  qualified,  as  well 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.         89 

lis  positive.  Gracious  principles,  and  a  holy- 
manner  of  action  are  equally  required  in  both. 
Nor  will  the  original  obligation  of  the  moral  law 
natural,  make  any  difference  in  the  case.  For  it 
is  a  principle  of  that  law,  that  whatsoever  posi- 
tive institutions  God  shall  make  known  as  his 
will,  are  to  be  obeyed.  Positive  laws  as  univer- 
sally bind  all  of  the  general  character  to  which 
they  are  directed,  as  do  natural.  Nor  do  the 
qualifications  required  in  duties,  at  all  limit  the 
subjects  of  the  law.  The  divine  Legislator  does 
not  give  his  laws  in  this  manner,  viz.  Whoso- 
ever have  the  qualifications  required  in  them, 
are  to  perform  the  enjoined  duties  ;  but  he  re- 
quires duties  so  and  so  qualified  absolutely,  with- 
out IF  or  AND,  of  all  who  claim  a  share  in  the 
general  character  to  which  they  belong.  All  who 
call  themselves  Christians,  stand  obliged  to  all 
the  duties  of  Christians  as  such. 

If  it  be  objected,  that  partaking  of  Sacra- 
ments imports  a  consent  to  the  covenant  of  grace, 
which  unregenerate  sinners  cannot  give :  and 
surely  God  does  not  require  persons  to  declare 
a  lie,  and  that  in  so  solemn  a  manner. 

I  answer,  the  blessed  God  is  so  far  from  re- 
quiring any  to  declare  a  lie,  that  he  commands 
them  to  transact  in  this  covenant  with  all  their 
hearts.  As  he  has  instituted  Sacraments,  so  he 
requires  all  to  attend  upon  them  with  all  the 
qualifications  requisite  in  such  attendance.  Their 
want  of  the  qualifications  does  not  excuse  the 
neglect  of  the  external  duty  one  moment ;  for 
their  rightful  Sovereign  does  not  admit  their 

I 


90  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

continuing  unholy  one  moment ;  and  therefore, 
there  is  no  plea  for  disobedience  in  any  one  in- 
stance. The  obligation  of  God's  law  does  not 
turn  upon  the  internal  qualifications  of  the  sub- 
jects, but  the  rightful  authority  of  the  lawgiver ; 
and  it  is  sufficient  to  justify  this,  that  man  had 
originally  sufficient  ability  to  obey  all  the  will 
of  God  in  a  proper  manner,  but  lost  it  by  his 
own  default.  The  blessed  God,  therefore,  has  a 
just  right  to  command  all  that  is  justly  due  from 
the  subjects  of  his  government,  an  the  most  ab- 
solute manner,  whatever  their  present  internal 
qualifications  may  be.  Nor  can  it  be  said,  that 
even  the  unregenerate  do  not,  in  some  sense, 
really  consent  to  the  covenant.  The  terms  of 
the  covenant  are  set  before  them  ;  thev  acknow- 
ledge  these  to  be  the  terms,  the  only  terms  of 
salvation  ;  they  yield,  that  it  is  just  and  right, 
that  God  should  insist  upon  this  as  the  only  way 
of  receiving  sinners  to  favour  j  and  consent  that 
this  transaction  shall  stand  as  a  witness  against 
them  if  their  hearts  stand  back.  It  will  stand 
good  against  them  as  a  visible  public  consent 
before  God,  angels,  and  men  ;  and  be  pleadable, 
yea  pleaded  against  them  in  the  great  day  of 
God,  if  their  hearts  shall  be  found  wanting.  This 
shews,  it  is  not  a  vain  thing  to  require  their 
attendance.  Here  is  a  sufficiently  important, 
though  not  the  only  end  of  these  institutions. 
The  transaction  imports  a  declaration,  that  they 
are  at  least  attempting  to  give  their  hearty  con- 
sent, but  not  a  declaration  whether  that  consent 
he  truly  sincere  or  not.  The  Sacraments  are  not 


EXCUSES     FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.         91 

instituted  to  be  visible  signs  of  persons'  opinion 
or  judgment  concerning  the  exercises  of  their 
own  hearts ;  but  signs  of  visible  consent  they 
are,  which  will  be  of  great  importance  for  the  il- 
lustration of  the  divine  justice,  in  the  aggrava- 
ted condemnation  of  gospel  sinners. 

It  is  further  objected,  that  unregenerate  sin- 
ners, in  partaking  of  Sacraments,  perjure  them- 
selves in  the  very  act ;  and  sure  God  does  not 
require  perjury. 

Answ.  It  is  not  the  crime  designed  by  the 
name  of  perjury.  That  consists  in  calling  God 
to  witness  to  the  truth  of  what  the  party  knows 
to  be  false.  This  consists  in  the  non-concur- 
rence of  the  heart  in  a  solemn  engagement,  into 
which  the  party  enters.  This  is  the  unregenerats 
sinner's  great  fault  in  every  holy  duty,  his  heart 
is  not  in  it ;  and  the  greater  solemnity  of  a  co- 
venant-transaction is,  no  doubt,  a  great  aggra- 
vation of  his  crime  :  but  it  is  not  taking  God  to 
witness  to  a  known  falsehood  :  he  takes  God  to 
witness,  indeed,  to  a  solemn  engagement  which 
he  visibly,  publicly,  and  really  enters  into,  and 
declares  :  though  his  heart  concurs  not  in  the 
manner  God  requires,  yet  the  engagement  is 
real :  he  will  feel  himself  held  and  obliged  to  be 
the  Lord's.  But  he  declares  nothing  herein 
about  the  sincerity  or  insincerity  of  his  heart  in 
this  transaction,  or  the  engagement  he  thus  ra- 
tifies. Were  it  understood  to  import  so  solemn 
a  declaration  of  the  person's  judgment  of  his 
own  conduct,  the  child  of  God,  whose  heart  sin- 
cerely consents,  would  often  not  dai*e  to  make 


92  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,   AND 

such  a  declaration.  To  give  force  to  the  objec- 
tion, it  should  be  supposed  that  the  person 
knowingly  dissembles.  That  he  publicly  en- 
gages, only  to  save  appearances,  and  to  impose 
upon  others  for  some  purpose  or  other,  while  he 
explicitly  and  formally  resolves  in  his  heart,  he 
will  not  cleave  to  the  Lord  to  serve  him  ;  but 
walk  after  the  imagination  of  his  own  evil  heart : 
but  this  is  not  to  be  alleged  in  this  case.  The  per- 
son is  supposed  to  set  the  terms  ot  the  covenant 
in  view,  consider  the  claim  God  has  to  him,  and 
the  obligations  redeeming  love  lays  upon  him ; 
sets  himself,  from  conscience  of  duty,  to  pre- 
sent himself  before  the  Lord,  and  attempt  to 
give  the  consent  of  his  heart ;  and  wishes,  upon 
some  principle  or  other,  there  was  such  an  heart 
in  him.  Thus  far  an  unregenerate  sinner  may 
go  ;  and  however  his  heart  fails  in  this  matter, 
vet  he  constitutes  a  real  engagement  which  binds 
him  to  accept  of  Christ,  and  be  the  Lord's  for- 
ever. To  this,  God,  angels,  and  men  are  wit- 
nesses. If  these  things  be  duly  considered,  the 
objection  vanishes  ;  and  it  will  appear,  the  un- 
regenerate sinner,  is  no  more  chargeable  with 
perjury  in  receiving  the  Sacraments,  than  with 
lying  in  prayer :  but  would  any  one  persuade 
him  by  all  means,  not  to  dare  to  pray  ? 

It  is  often  objected,  that  the  unregenerate, 
when  they  partake  of  Sacraments,  put  a  seal  to 
ablank. 

Answ.  If  the  Sacraments  were  primarily,  and 
only  seals  of  a  personal  interest  in  the  covenant, 
there  would  be  weight  in  the  objection.    But 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED. 

while  the  Sacraments,  in  the  use  of  them,  even 
by  the  unregenerate,  do  really  seal  the  truth  and 
certainty  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  its  true 
tenor  on  God's  part ;  and  on  the  communicant's 
part,  a  solemn  engagement,  binding  on  his  con- 
science to  embrace  this  covenant  with  all  his 
heart,  and  will  stand  firm  against  him  for  his 
aggravated  condemnation  if  he  does  not ;  it  is 
very  far  from  being  a  seal  to  a  blank. 

Again,  it  will  be  said,  if  the  Sacraments  were 
converting  ordinances,  then  all  should  attend 
upon  them  as  well  as  prayer,  hearing  the  word, 
&c.  but  as  they  are  only  sealing,  and  not  con- 
verting ordinances,  the  case  is  otherwise. 

Answ.  All  this  is  gratis  dictum,  a  mere  as- 
sertion without  proof.  For  my  part,  I  know  not 
how  divines  have  come  by  this  distinction  of 
ordinances  into  converting  and  non- converting. 
I  do  not  know  any  ordinance  of  the  gospel, 
which  is  not  a  converting  ordinance.  Surely, 
that  the  Sacraments  are  seals,  does  not  hinder, 
but  promotes  their  tendency  to  the  conversion 
of  sinners.  1  think  we  have  no  way  to  know, 
that  any  ordinance  is  a  converting  ordinance,  but 
from  its  native  tendency  to  that  end,  and  its  be- 
ing used  by  God  for  that  purpose.  Now,  what 
stronger  tendency  can  there  be  to  bring  home 
sinners  to  God,  than  the  exhibition  the  Sacra- 
ments give  of  Christ ;  of  the  way  of  salvation 
through  faith  in  his  blood;  of  the  grace  of  God, 
and  rhe  stability  of  the  new  covenant  ?  their  ve- 
ry design  is  to  engage  men  to  come  to  a  point 

1  2 


94  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

and  to  close  in  with  the  terms  of  salvation  pro 
posed  in  the  gospel. 

If  it  be  said,  it  will  then  follow  that  the  pro- 
fane and  scandalous  ought  to  be  admitted  to  the 
Sacraments,  that  they  may  be  converted. 

Answ.  So  far  from  it,  that  directly  the  reverse 
is  the  consequence.  This  is  one  circumstance, 
from  whence  arises  the  strong  tendency  of  Sa- 
craments to  convert  sinners,  viz.  that  they  se- 
cure and  promote  the  visible  holiness  and  ex- 
ternal purity  of  the  church,  and  thereby  distin- 
guish her  from  the  world.  They  thus  assert  the 
necessity  of  true  holiness,  and  point  it  out  as 
the  distinguishing  character  of  God's  people ; 
but  the  force  of  this  argument  would  be  lost,  if 
no  such  distinction  was  made.  Yea,  not  merely 
be  lost,  but  sinners  would  be  greatly  encoura- 
ged to  continue  secure  in  sin. 

It  is  an  objection  of  great  weight  with  some, 
that  to  admit  unregenerate  men  to  Sacraments, 
and  teach  them  that  they  are  bound  to  come, 
tends  to  flatter  their  vain  hopes,  make  them  se- 
cure, and  build  them  up  in  self- righteousness. 
To  make  out  this  consequence,  it  is  alleged  we 
must  in  this  case  proceed  upon  this  principle, 
viz.  that  some  unregenerate  men  have  some 
good  principles,  some  sincere  regard  for,  and 
liking  to  God  in  his  proper  character ;  are  in 
heart  friendly  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus 
Christ ;  have  some  real  and  proper  desires  for 
holiness,  (from  a  view  of  its  excellency,  or  for 
its  own  sake,  I  suppose)  and  an  interest  in  Je- 
sus Christ ;  (which  would  be,  I  think,  to  sup- 


EXCUSES    FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  95 

pose  they  were  not  unre generate,  and  so  would 
be  a  contradiction  in  terms)  and  that  God  bofar 
approves  and  accepts  them,  as  on  that  ground 
to  enter  into  covenant  with  them. 

Answ.  I  think,  it  will  appear  from  the  whole 
I  have  said  in  the  preceding  pages,  that  the  mat- 
ter depends  on  no  such  principle.  The  accep- 
tableness  of  the  persons  and  duties  of  even  the 
holiest  saints  on  earth  with  God,  is  not  at  all 
the  ground  or  reason  of  his  entering  into  cove- 
nant with  them.  So  far  from  it,  that  their  accep- 
tance with  him  is  founded  in  the  covenant  of 
grace,  and  provided  for  by  it.  To  allege  other- 
wise, would  be  to  take  the  Arminian  side  of  the 
question  indeed. 

I  readily  grant  the  unhappy  state  and  charac- 
ter of  all  unregenerate  sinners  ;  they  are  at  en- 
mity with  God,  and  have  no  holy  dispositions, 
but  are  wholly  depraved.  But  is  that  any  rea- 
son why  the  great  God,  their  rightful  bovereign, 
shall  not  demand  their  immediate  submission 
and  return  to  him  ?  He  offers  his  mercy,  and 
requires  their  return  in  a  way  of  covenant,  and 
that  transacted  in  a  visible  public  manner.  For 
this  purpose  he  instituted  sacraments,  that  they 
may  render  the  covenant  visible,  and  be  a  visi- 
ble expression  or  token  of  consent.  This  transac- 
tion, and  that  with  the  whole  heart,  he  requires 
without  delay.  Unregenerate  though  they  be, 
yet  since  it  is  in  the  way  of  his  own  institutions 
he  meets  with  sinners,  they  are  to  stretch  out  the 
withered  hand,  and  attempt  obedience.  It  is  the 
careless  admission  of  the  profane  and  scandalous. 


96  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

and  the  unfaithfulness  of  ministers  in  neglecting 
to  lay  matters  fairly  before  people,  and  address 
the  conscience  with  the  arguments  arising  from 
this  topic,  that  depreciates  the  sacraments,  and 
promotes  security  and  self-righteousness.  In- 
stead of  the  consequences  above  mentioned, 
there  would  be  the  strongest  tendency  to  con- 
vince and  awaken  the  conscience,  and  affect  the 
heart,  upon  supposition  of  the  following  things, 
viz,  that  discipline,  whereby  the  openly  irreli- 
gious and  profane  are  to  be  kept  off,  be  duly  ex- 
ercised. That  ministers  deal  faithfully  with  the 
conscience,  set  the  terms  of  the  covenant  fairly 
before  people,  shew  them  that  a  consent  to  these 
is  required  in  attending  the  sacraments,  and  no- 
thing short  of  it  will  be  accepted ;  that  if  their 
hearts  refuse,  they  will  grievously  sin,  and  be 
found  guilty  before  God  ;  yet  they  may  not  ne- 
glect his  institutions  without  adding  to  their 
guilt  by  open  disobedience.  That  they  awaken 
them  to  look  to,  and  carefully  examine  their 
hearts  before  and  after  such  solemn  transactions, 
and  press  them  to  consider  their  awful  guilt,  if 
their  hearts  are  found  wanting  :  yet  shew  them, 
they  are  under  the  bond  of  the  covenant ;  are 
bound  in  conscience  to  seek  an  interest  in 
Christ  with  incessant  anxiety,  and  yield  up  their 
hearts  to  God  ;  and  that,  in  the  great  day  of  ac- 
count, they  will  be  dealt  with  as  covenant- brea- 
kers if  they  do  not.  Yea,  those  injurious  conse- 
quences rather  follow  on  the  other  side  of  the  ques- 
tion. For,  on  that  state  of  the  case,  such  unre- 
generute  sinners  as  come  to  sacraments>  look  up- 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.         9/ 

on  their  admission  as  a  ground  of  confidence  that 
they  are  true  Christians  ;  and  thinking  they  are 
safe,  sit  down  secure.  Such  as  look  upon  them- 
selves as  unprepared,  apprehending  they  are  not 
under  a  necessity  of  acting,  conclude  to  neglect 
it,  and  so  dismiss  any  further  care  about  prepa- 
ration, and  think  themselves  more  at  liberty  to 
indulge  their  corruptions  through  the  course  of 
life.  Thus  a  sense  of  obligation  by  virtue  of  their 
baptism  is  much  destroyed. 

I  presume  I  have  now  taken  notice  of  the  most 
weighty  objections  to  my  sentiments,  and  by  re- 
moving them  have  gone,  at  least,  a  good  length 
towards  evincing  the  truth  of  what  I  have  advan- 
ced. However,  there  remain  sundry  arguments, 
which  to  me  appear  conclusive  on  the  affirma- 
tive side  of  the  question  ;  these  I  shall  here  take 
the  liberty  to  propose, 

First,  All  those  who  are  convinced  that  the 
Christian  religion  is  true,  are  immediately  obli- 
ged to  embrace  and  openly  profess  it ;  this  is  al- 
most a  self-evident  proposition.  For  to  suppose 
otherwise,  would  be  to  suppose,  that  the  bles- 
sed God  had  made  known  his  will,  and  propo- 
sed a  system  of  religion,  which  yet  men,  convin- 
ced of  its  truth,  were  at  liberty  to  reject ;  and 
this  would  be  the  same  thing,  as  to  say,  he  had 
not  a  rightful  authority  to  oblige  them  ;  the  ve- 
ry mention  of  this  shews  the  glaring  absurdity. 
Now  it  necessarily  follows,  that  if  such  persons 
are  immediately  hound  to  embrace  the  true  re- 
ligion, they  are  immediately  bound  to  profess 
it,  that  is  publicly  consent  to  it ;  for,  when  reli- 


98  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

gion  is  publicly  proposed,  not  to  profess  and 
avow  it,  is  openly  to  disavow  and  reject  it,  there 
is  no  medium.  It  is  the  flattest  contradiction  to 
imagine  we  embrace  the  true  religion,  and  at 
the  same  time,  openly  neglect  and  disavow  it. 
But  I  have  already  shewed,  that  to  embrace  the 
true  religion  is  to  enter  into  covenant  with  God  ; 
without  consenting  to  the  covenant  of  grace, 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  embracing  religion. 
So  to  profess  religion  is  openly  and  visibly  to 
transact  that  covenant ;  and  this  is  done  in  the 
participation  of  the  sacraments,  and  not  other- 
wise. There  is  no  full  formal  profession  of  re- 
ligion antecedent  to  this ;  for  without  it,  none 
are  visibly  in  covenant,  unless  they  can  be  visi- 
bly in  covenant,  without  ratifying  and  sealing  it. 
In  this  point  of  view,  1  think,  the  scripture  sets 
the  matter,  *  Now  when  they  heard  this,  they 
were  pricked  in  their  hearts,  and  said  unto  Peter , 
and  to  the  rest  of  the  Apostles,  men  and  brethren, 
what  shall  we  do  ?  then  Peter  said  unto  the??2i 
repent  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins. 
The  apostle  had  laid  before  them  the  evidence 
of  Christ's  being  the  true  Messiah,  from  the 
fulfilment  of  ancient  prophecies,  concerning  him 
in  his  resurrection  from  the  dead.  The  conse- 
quence was,  they  were  convinced  of  the  truth 
of  Christianity,  and  of  their  aggravated  guilt  in 
the  crucifixion  of  the  Lord  of  glory,  full  of 
anxiety,  they  inquire  what  to  do.     The  answer 

u.  —     ■     -.-  - 

•  Act.  ii.  37,  38. 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.  99 

is,  Repent  and  be  Baptized,  i.  e.  enter  into 
covenant  with  God,  publicly  transacting  and  ra- 
tifying it  by  the  seal  of  baptism.  If  it  be  said 
here  is  the  order,  first  repent,  and  then  be  bap- 
tized,  I  answer, 

First,  This  is  no  more  than  I  have  insisted  on 
as  necessary  to  be  done,  viz.  to  set  before  per- 
sons the  nature  of  true  religion  and  the  terms  of 
salvation,  and  let  them  know  that  a  cordial  com- 
pliance with  all  this  is  required,  and  nothing 
short  of  it  will  do.  This  is  fully  consistent  with 
what  I  have  said,  and  this  they  are  to  profess  in 
their  baptism.  Nor  do  they  visibly  profess  re- 
pentance, while  they  stand  back  from  this  ordi- 
nance. 2d.  Though  they  are  called  upon  to  re- 
pent, there  is  not  the  least  hint,  that  they  were 
to  defer  their  baptism  until  they  should  have 
evidence,  on  which  they  might  judge  they  had 
saving  repentance.  They  were  immediately  to 
offer  themselves  to  baptism,  and  were  forthwith 
baptized ;  and  in  consequence  thereof,  they 
went  on  in  the  constant  attendance  on  all  other 
ordinances,  they  continued  steadfastly  in  the 
Apostle's  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in  the 
breaking  of  bread,  (i.  e.  the  participation  of  the 
Lord's  Supper)  and  in  prayer,  *  Also,  f  Philip 
tells  the  Eunuch,  if  thou  beiievest  with  all 
thine  heart,  thou  mayst  [be  baptized.]  The 
Eunuch  does  not  pronounce  whether  his  faith 
was  saving  or  not,  but  only  professes  a  be- 
lief of  that  foundation  truth,  that  Jesus  Christ 

*  Act.  ii.  41,  42.         +  Act  viil-  27 


100  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

is  the  Son  of  God,  and  on  this  declaration  he 
was  baptized. 

The  heathen  are  not  immediately  obliged  to 
embrace  the  Christian  religion,  but  first  to  en- 
quire into  it ;  but  such  as  are  instructed  and 
convinced  in  their  judgment  and  conscience  of 
the  truth  of  religion,  are  under  a  necessity  of  ac- 
ting one  way  or  other  about  it,  either  to  pro- 
fess or  reject  it.  This  is  one  design  of  the  insti- 
tution of  sacraments,  that  the  persons  may  be 
reduced  to  this  necessity.  What  then  shall  they 
do  ?  If  they  apprehend  they  are  still  unregene- 
rate,  shall  they,  for  that  reason  openly  reject  it  ? 
This  is  to  go  against  the  dictates  of  their  own 
consciences ;  or  shall  they  publicly  profess  their 
belief  of  it,  consent  to  its  obligation  upon  them, 
and  resolve  to  appear  on  the  side  of  religion?  one 
would  think  it  very  easy  to  decide  on  this  case, 
and  determine  which  side  was  safest,  and  atten- 
ded with  least  guilt. 

2.  All  baptized  persons  are,  thereby,  bound 
to  perform  all  the  duties  of  true  Christians,  as 
they  shall  become  capable  and  have  opportunity? 
both  as  to  internal  exercises,  and  external  ac- 
tions. I  say,  as  they  shall  become  capable ;  for 
the  greater  part  are  baptized  in  infancy.  But 
these,  as  well  as  all  others,  are  brought  under  the 
bond  of  the  covenant.  This  should  be  early  im- 
pressed upon  them,  to  let  them  see,  that,  by  this 
dedication  to  God,  they  are  bound  to  perform  ail 
duties  of  religion  for  which  they  have  capacity, 
to  receive  instruction,  and  appear  for  religion  as 
the  professors  thereof.  As  soon  as  they  have  a 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.   101 

competency  of  knowledge,  and  are  capable  of 
the  discipline  of  the  church,  they  are  bound  to 
commemorate  the  death  of  Christ,  and  renew 
their  engagements  to  him  at  his  table,  unless  re- 
gularly debarred  by  discipline  for  unchristian 
conduct.  When  they  shall  become  parents,  they 
are  bound  to  dedicate  their  children  to  God  in 
baptism.  In  one  word,  they  are  bound  to  con- 
tinue stedfast  in  the  Apostle's  doctrine  and  fel- 
lowship, and  in  the  breaking  of  bread  and  prayer. 
To  say  that  baptism,  even  when  received  in  in- 
fancy? does  not  bind  to  all  this,  is  to  say,  they 
are  not  bound  by  this  covenant  to  all  Christian 
practice,  till  they  come  to  the  Lord's  table : 
that  they  are  not  obliged  to  consider  themselves 
as  professors  of  religion  in  consequence  of  their 
baptism,  and  that  they  are  not  chargeable  with 
breach  of  covenant  in  neglecting  to  appear  for 
it,  and  standing  back  from  the  Lord's  Supper ; 
and  that  is,  I  think,  to  represent  infant-baptism 
as  a  matter  of  no  great  benefit  or  importance. 
Or,  are  they  hereby  bound  to  all  other  Chris- 
tian duties,  but  not  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table  ? 
where  is  the  ground  or  scripture  authority  for 
that  distinction  ?  Is  there  any  qualification  re- 
quisite for  this  duty,  different  in  kind  from 
what  is  required  in  other  duties  ?  Is  not  true 
grace  or  holiness  required  in  all  other  duties,  as 
well  as  this?  And  is  not  this  ordinance  among 
the  all  things  whatsoever  he  has  commanded  his 
disciples,  and  which  they  are  taught  to  observe? 
Or,  does  the  unregeneracy  of  any,  Who,  accord- 
ing to  God's  own  institution,  arc  visible  mem- 
K 


iyj~2  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

bers  of  his  church,  nullify  this  obligation,  so 
that  their  omission  of  this  ordinance  is  not  their 
sin  ?  If  it  be  said,  as  indeed  it  frequently  is,  that 
they  are,  it  is  true,  bound  by  the  divine  com- 
mand, and  non-attendance  on  the  Lord's  table 
is  their  sin  ;  yet  such  is  their  disqualification, 
that  they  sin  more,  and  contract  greater  guilt  by 
coming,  than  staying  away  ;  so  that  upon  the 
whole,  it  is  safer  for  them  to  abstain.  I  answer, 
if  there  be  any  weight  in  the  objection,  it  will 
hold  equally  with  respect  to  all  the  other  duties 
of  religion  ;  for  such  are  equally  disqualified  for 
the  performance  of  them  ;  and  so  the  unregene- 
rate  are  at  once  set  free  from  all  obligation,  as^ 
visible  church  members  or  baptized  persons,  to 
the  law  of  God.  A  consequence,  which  I  be- 
lieve few,  but  the  disciples  of  Sandiman,  will 
choose  to  admit ;  besides  this  objection  is  self- 
contradictory.  For  if  they  sin  more  in  corning, 
and  upon  the  whole  it  is  safer  to  abstain,  it  must 
be,  because  it  is  not  the  will  of  God  they  should 
attempt  to  obey  him  with  respect  to  this  ordi- 
nance :  And  they  are  excepted  from  the  com- 
mand to  observe  it;  if  so,  they  are  under  no  obliga- 
tion to  observe  it.  To  abstain,  is,  therefore,  so 
far  from  being  their  sin,  as  this  objection  sup- 
poses, that  it  is  their  duty,  they  do  right.  For 
to  suppose  two  contradictory  obligations  to  take 
place  at  the  same  time,  by  the  same  law,  is  a 
gross  contradiction  ;  for  they  either  mutually 
destroy  each  other,  or,  at  least,  the  one  of  them 
makes  the  other  void.  And  to  suppose  a  pre- 
sent obligation,  and  yet  that  the  safest  course 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.        K)J 

is  to  counteract  or   violate  it,  is  a  glaring  ab- 
surdity. 

Arg.  3.  The  authority  of  God,  instituting 
and  appointing  sacraments  in  his  visible  church, 
is  the  ground  and  reason  of  the  obligation  on 
visible  church  members  to  observe  them  ;  and 
his  command  to  observe  them,  is  the  rule  of 
their  doty,  and  not  any  internal  qualification  in 
them.  Therefore,  all  visible  church- members 
are  immediately  obliged  to  attend  upon  them, 
let  their  internal  state  be  what  it  will.  The  in- 
internal  qualification  required  in  attendance  on 
sacraments,  cannot  be  the  ground  or  condition 
of  the  command  to  attend  upon  them  ;  for  God 
requires  and  commands  the  qualification  itself, 
however  destitute  of  it  many  may  be.  Surely  he, 
who  has  a  right  to  command  the  qualification, 
has  a  right  to  command  immediately  and  abso- 
lutely the  performance  of  the  duty  itself,  in  which 
such  qualification  is  required,  whether  the  per- 
sons be  possessed  of  it  or  not.  Consequently,  all 
who  share  in  the  visible  character,  to  which  the 
Sacraments,  by  appointment  belong  ;  that  is,  all 
visible  Church- members,  stand  immediately 
obliged  to  attend  upon  them,  and  that  with  the 
qualification  required  whether  they  actually  have 
it  or  not.  They  stand  obliged  to  this  in  the  same 
manner,  as  they  do  to  any  other  duty  of  reli- 
gion. Now  the  divine  command  in  the  case  is 
the  rule,  the  only  rule  of  their  duty  ;  and  if  the 
command  extend  to  all  visible  church- members, 
then  it  is  an  explicit  rule  which  can  be  applied 
with    certainty.  But  upon  this  principle,   viz. 


104 

that  the  command  to  attend  Sacraments  is  so  li- 
mited and  qualified,  as  to  exclude  and  prohibit 
all  visible  Church-members  who  are  unregene- 
rate,  it  will  be  impossible  to  apply  it  with  cer- 
tainty in  many  cases ;  for  then,  the  rule  of  in- 
terpretation must  be  some  judgment  of  people's 
internal  states  ;  but  none,  whose  judgment  de- 
serves any  notice,  allege  that  church  officers  can 
judge  in  that  case,  for  they  know  not  the  hearts 
of  others,  and  therefore  many  ministers  do  not  re- 
quire any  account  of  their  exercises  from  those 
they  admit ;  but  only  a  profession  of  hav  ing,  so 
far  as  they  know  their  own  hearts,  embraced  Je- 
sus Christ,  and  given  themselves  up  to  God, 
upon  which  they  are  admitted.  Now  this  pro- 
fession is  only  a  declaration  of  their  opinion  or 
judgment  of  their  exercises  of  heart,  or  internal 
state.  Consequently,  the  party's  own  judgment, 
in  this  case,  is  the  rule  of  interpreting  and  ap- 
plying the  Divine  command  ;  and  according  to 
this,  they  are  to  conduct  themselves.  In  this  de- 
claration, they  place  that  profession  of  true  reli- 
gion, or  their  being  visibly  the  people  of  God, 
which  is  required  in  order  to  their  admission. 
But  surely,  we  have  nothing  made  visible  here, 
but  their  judgment  of  themselves.  Pray  how- 
does  this  render  their  profession  of  religion  more 
visible,  than  their  acknowledging  the  doctrines 
of  the  Gospel  as  divine  truths,  and  manifesting 
their  influence,  by  a  practice  agreeable  to  them  2 
Nothing  does  this,  short  of  publicly  transacting 
a  covenant  with  God  in  the  way  of  his  own  ap- 
pointment :  that  is,  by  partaking  of  the  signs 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.         105 

and  seals  of  his  covenant.  Such  a  judgment  of 
themselves  would  be  as  precarious  a  ground  of 
conduct  to  persons  in  coming  to  Sacraments,  as 
any  judgment  formed  of  them  would  be  to 
Church-officers  in  admitting  them.  For  besides, 
that  many  judge  favourably  of  themselves  with- 
out sufficient  ground  to  support  it,  and  so  mis- 
take their  case ;  there  are  others,  who,  though 
really  the  children  of  God,  are  in  great  suspense, 
and  cannot  determine  on  which  side  the  evi- 
dence preponderates;  while  not  a  few,  though 
at  seasons  they  have  comfortable  hopes,  yet  fre- 
quently labour  under  distressing  apprehensions 
that  they  have  nothing  more  than  common  grace. 
Upon  this  footing,  I  think,  persons,  whodoubtof 
their  gracious  state,  could  not  with  safety  come 
to  sacraments  at  all.  For  though  they  are  told 
the  Sacraments  are  appointed  to  strengthen  weak 
faith,  and  cherish  weak  grace  :  yet  that  is  the 
great  matter  in  question,  whether  they  have  any 
true  grace.  The  most  plausible  thing  that  can 
be  said  to  them  is,  that  if  upon  impartial  self-ex- 
amination, they  find  stronger  ground  of  hope 
than  the  contrary  :  they  are  to  follow  the  strong- 
est evidence.  But  here  even  to  a  child  of  God, 
the  ground  of  doubt  may  often  seem  strongest ; 
and  though  at  times  he  may  have  hopes,  yet 
perhaps,  he  more  frequently  suspects  his  hopes 
to  be  false  ;  and  in  that  case,  he  is  told,  he  will  con- 
tract greater  guilt  by  coming  than  by  staying  a- 
way.  How  then  shall  he  run  so  awful  a  risk^ 
when  he  fears  that  unregeneracy  is  his  sad  condi- 
tion? Hence  probably,  and  in  many  ca^es  certain- 
k  2 


106  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AM) 

ly  the  exercised  Christianis  kept  off,  while  the  se- 
cure  self-flattering  sinner  comes  forward  ;  yea, 
the  doubting  Christian  cannot  be  certain,  that  the 
command  so  limited  and  qualified  as  aforesaid, 
includes  him. 

Arg.  4.  If  unregenerate  visible  Church- 
members  contract  greater  guilt  by  abstaining 
from  Sacraments  than  in  coming  to  them,  then 
they  ought  not  to  abstain.  But  they  do  contract 
greater  guilt  by  abstaining,  therefore  they  ought 
not. 

Here,  to  prevent  mistakes,  I  would  observe, 
I  mean  coming  in  a  conscientious  manner, 
otherwise,  if  persons  should  come  to  the  Lord's 
table  merely  to  qualify  for  a  civil  post,  or  in 
a  profane  manner,  they  would  contract  much 
the  greatest  guilt  in  coming.  This  would  be  to 
eat  and  drink  unworthily  with  a  witness,  and  to 
be  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord ; 
but  to  return, 

I  suppose  the  major  proposition  will  not  be 
denied  by  any.  For  if  unregenerate  visible 
Church-members  contract  greater  guilt  by  ab- 
staining, which  is  the  same  thing  as  to  say  they 
sin  more  ;  then  certainly  in  coming,  from  a  con- 
science of  duty,  attempting  obedience  to  the  di- 
vine command,  they  are  less  sinful,  and  conse- 
quently act  more  as  they  ought  to  do,  than  in 
omitting  it.  The  only  thing,  therefore,  to  be  con- 
firmed is  the  minor  proposition,  viz. 

That  such  unregenerate  sinners  do  sin  more, 
and  contract  greater  guilt  by  abstaining. 

Ireadilv  grant,  that  by  their  unbelief  in  so  so^ 


EXCUSE*  IOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.   107 

lemn  a  transaction,  which  in  its  very  nature  so 
specially  requires  faith  in  Christ  ;  they  sin  and 
contract  great  and  aggravated  guilt.  Their  want 
of  grace  renders  them  altogether  unacceptable 
to  God,  he  disapproves  them.  The  only  ques- 
tion is,  whether  in  omitting,  they  do  not  sin 
yet  more,  and  God  does  not  more  highly  disap- 
prove them  ? 

Now,  in  order  to  decide  on  this  question,  let 
it  be  considered,  that  it  is  not  to  be  supposed 
the  blessed  God,  when  he  instituted  these  ordi- 
nances, left  men  at  liberty  to  neglect  them.  All 
of  the  general  character  to  which  the  Sacra- 
ments are  appointed,  are  obliged  by  their  very 
institution  to  observe  them.  But  to  suppose  it  to 
be  the  will  of  God,  that  such  as  are  unregene- 
rate,  though  visible  church-m«mbers,  should 
not  approach  to  Sacraments  under  the  notion  of 
being  disqualified,  is  inconsistent  with  any  pre- 
sent obligation  to  attend  upon  them  ;  and  that  is 
to  suppose  that  the  institution  of  ordinances 
obliges  only  when  men  are  suitably  disposed  to- 
wards them  ;  their  want  of  faith  and  other  gra- 
ces sets  them  free,  so  that  their  non-attendance 
upon  them  adds  nothing  to  their  guilt;  yea,  in 
that  they  obey  God  and  act  correctly,  which  is 
an  absurdity,  that,  I  believe,  will  meet  with  but 
small  reception  ;  but  if  they  are  under  a  present 
and  continual  obligation  to  attend  upon  the  Sa- 
craments by  virtue  of  their  authoritative  insti- 
tution, then  not  to  attend  upon  them  is  disobe- 
dience. In  either  case,  a  gracious  heart  is  want- 
ing; but  in  the  omission  of  the  external  duty, 


108  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

another  instance  of  disobedience  is  added;  keep- 
ing back  the  heart  is,  as  it  were,  avowed,  and 
no  attempt  is  made  to  yield  it  up.  Surely  to  act 
according  to  the  light  of  conscience,  impressed 
with  a  sense  of  present  obligation,  must  be  less 
sinful,  and  incur  less  guilt,  than  to  go  against  the 
dictates  of  conscience,  and  live  in  the  neglect  of 
a  known  duty.  Even  when  persons  abstain,  in 
a  sort  conscientiously,  from  a  reverence  of  the 
ordinance,  and  consideration  of  their  unfitness, 
however  that  may  extenuate  the  guilt  of  their 
omission,  yet  such  an  error  in  judgment  can- 
not alter  the  nature  of  things,  and  take  away  all 
addition  to  their  guilt  thereby,  or  render  their 
conduct  innocent. 

But  to  abstain  from  the  Sacraments  from  a  care- 
less neglect  o#  religion,  and  unwillingness  to 
come  under  strict  obligations  to  it,  is  sinning 
with  a  high  hand.  It  is  to  say  with  proud  Pha- 
raoh, Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey  his 
voice  ?  Rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft,  and 
stubbornness  as  iniquity  and  idolatry  *  Surely 
none  will  hesitate  to  determine,  that  a  conscience 
impressed  with  a  sense  of  duty,  and  tenderly  in- 
fluencing to  the  performance  thereof,  is  better, 
and  discovers  a  less  degree  of  wickedness  and 
impiety,  than  such  a  contempt  of.  religion  and 
stubborn  temper  of  mind.  Thus,  I  think,  the 
minor  proposition's  confirmed,  and  therefore 
the  conclusion  stands  good. 

Argument  5.  That  God  should  institute  pub- 
lic covenant  signs  and  seals  to  be  administered 
i   *  ■      ■  '  -     

•  1  Sam.  xy.  :3- 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.   109 

in  his  church,  on  purpose  to  bring  the  whole 
visible  church,  in  the  celebration  of  them,  to  en- 
ter publickly  into  covenant  with  him ;  and  con- 
sequently, require  the  whole  visible  church  to 
attend  upon  them,  is  perfectly  agreeable  to  his 
conduct  towards  the  Jewish  church  in  repeated 
instances. — Notwithstanding  their  sacramental 
covenanting  in  circumcision  and  the  passover, 
that  nation  was  exceedingly  prone  to  idolatry, 
which  they  mingled  with  their  worship  of  the 
true  God.  Their  temptation  hereto  arose  from 
the  practice  of  the  heathen  nations  round  about 
them.  To  prevent  this,  and  in  order  to  their 
avouching  the  Lord  more  explicitly  as  the  only 
true  God,  and  renunciation  of  idols,  Moses, 
Joshua,  Nehemiah  and  Ezra,  undoubtedly  by 
divine  direction,  led  the  whole  people  to  a  ver- 
bal covenant-transaction,  upon  which  I  beg  leave 
to  observe, 

1.  That  a  holy  cleaving  to  God  with  all  the 
heart,  a  gracious  closing  in  with,  and  consent- 
ing to  his  covenant,  was  as  really,  and  as  much 
required  in  these  transactions,  as  in  coming  to 
the  Lord's  table.  In  this  view  Joshua  sets  the 
matter  before  the  congregation  of  Israel.  *And 
Joshua  said  unto  the  people,  ye  cannot  serve  the 
Jjord  ;  for  he  is  a  holy  God*  he  is  a  jealous  God, 
he  xvdl  not  forgive  your  transgressions,  nor  your 
sins.  If  ye  forsake  the  Lord  and  serve  strange 
gods,  then  he  will  turn  and  do  you  hurt,  and  con- 
sume you*  after  that  he  has  done  you  good.  As 
if  ne  had  said,  consider  the  pure  and  holy  cha- 

•  Josh.  xxiv.  19,  20. 


110  OBLIGATIONS   TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

racter  of  the  great  God  with  whom  you  have  to 
do.  in  a  very  solemn  manner ;  and  consequent- 
ly, the  holiness  of  that  service  he  demands  of 
you,  and  now  requires  your  covenant  engage- 
ment to  practise.  It  is  no  easy  matter  to  approve 
yourselves  to  him  in  this  affair :  and  terrible  will 
be  the  consequence  of  turning  aside  from  that 
constant  holy  obedience  he  requires.  In  short, 
he  sets  before  them  the  requisitions  of  the  great 
God  in  that  transaction,  in  the  same  solemn  pun- 
gent manner  that  ministers  of  the  gospel  are  to 
do  in  administering  the  Sacraments  of  the  new 
testament. — It  is  not  holiness  in  a  diminutive 
sense  that  he  requires  ;  it  is  the  holiness  of  true 
saints.    Yet, 

2.  He  requires  all  Israel  to  enter  into  this 
covenant,  and  brings  them  under  engagements 
to  this  holiness,  without  standing  to  inquire 
whether  they  are  already  regenerated  or  not.-*— 
He  does  not  admit  them  to  this  covenant-trans- 
action from  a  judgment  of  their  appearing  to  be 
regenerate,  upon  a  previous  profession ;  but 
presses  upon  them  then  to  choose  the  Lord  for 
their  God,  by  an  induction  of  facts,  as  so  many 
striking  arguments  to  persuade  them  ;  and  their 
yielding  and  actually  consenting  to  the  covenant 
then  proposed,  was  itself  the  profession  of  ho- 
liness they  made.  It  was  by  that  they  appeared 
to  be  a  holy  people. — No  doubt  a  number  of 
them  were  unregenerate  ;  but  Joshua  does  not 
consider  that  as  an  obstruction  in  the  way.  He 
considers  them  as  rightfully  the  Lord's;  and 
however  depraved  in  consequence  of  their  apos- 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.   Ill 

tacy,  and  the  forfeiture  they  were  under,  yet  he 
justly  requires  them  to  be  holy  ;  and  upon  this 
principle,  consistently  commands  their  perform- 
ance of  all  those  external  duties  in  which  this 
holiness  is  professed,  and  required  to  be  ex- 
ercised :  and  consequently,  requires  them  pub- 
licly to  engage  in  a  solemn  covenant-trans- 
action.— By  a  parity  of  reason,  all  this  is  still 
required  of  all  visible  church-members,  and 
they  are  consistently  required  to  make  similar 
engagements  by  the  participation  of  the  Sacra- 
ments of  the  new  testament.  And  in  thus  en- 
tering into  covenant,  the  visible  church  appears 
as  much,  and  as  really  now  to  be  a  holy  people, 
as  Israel  did  then.  It  is  as  much  the  duty  of 
gospel  ministers  now  to  lead  forward  the  whole 
church  to  covenant-transactions  with  God,  in  the 
solemn  ordinances  he  has  appointed  for  that  very 
purpose,  as  it  was  the  duty  of  Moses  and  others 
to  bring  the  people  of  Israel  to  such  verbal  co- 
venanting then,  which  imported  the  same  pro- 
fession, and  as  much  required  true  holiness. 

Argument  6.  The  steady  attendance  of  all 
regular  members  of  the  visible  church  upon  the 
Sacraments  of  the  new  testament,  greatly  tends 
to  promote,  and  give  efficacy  to  the  discipline 
of  the  church  ;  and  thereby  one  great  end  of 
their  institution  will  be  obtained.  Consequently, 
it  is  the  will  of  God  that  all  such  should  attend 
upon  them. 

I  have  already  observed,  that  the  very  exis- 
tence and  efficacy  of  discipline  depends  upon 
the  Sacraments.    The  weight  of  censure  upon 


112  OBLIGATIONS   TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

the  conscience  of  an  offender  arises  from  his 
considering  the  enjoyment  of  Sacraments,  and 
standing  among  God's  visible  covenant-people 
as  a  great  privilege,  which  he  would  otherwise 
have  a  right  to,  but  now  is  cut  off  from,  in  con- 
sequence of  his  own  offensive  conduct. — But  if 
he  is  taught,  that  as  an  unregenerate  person  he 
would  have  no  right  to  them,  were  he  never  so 
regular,  or  externally  religious  ;  and  that  it  is 
so  far  from  being  a  privilege  to  him,  that  it 
would  exceedingly  increase  his  guilt,  should  he 
dare  to  approach  ;  then  the  argument  is  lost. 
Upon  that  principle,  he  is  not  cut  off  from  any 
thing  he  had  a  right  to,  or  had  any  thing  to  do 
with.  When  a  scandalous  person  is  judicially 
dealt  with,  and  upon  conviction,  sentence  is  pro- 
nounced, viz.  that  he  is  debarred  from  the  Lord's 
table  ;  what  is  done  to  him  ?  In  consequence  of 
the  instruction  he  had  all  along  received,  he  had 
no  thoughts  of  asking  admission.  He  observes 
too,  his  very  sober  neighbour,  who  is  not  only 
orthodox  in  his  sentiments,  but  conscientiously 
religious  in  his  practice,  stands  off  as  unfit  to 
come :  yea  the  officers  of  the  church  are  not 
free  to  admit  him,  because  he  apprehends  after 
all,  he  is.  unregenerate.  Is  it  then  any  blot  upon 
him  to  be  in  the  same  case  with  his  reputable 
neighbour  ?  Does  the  aforesaid  sentence  bring 
any  evil  upon  him,  more  than  he  would  be  un- 
der without  it  ? 

Upon  this  principle,  that  none  but  gracious 
persons  ought  to  approach,  the  Sacraments  are 
considered  as  designed  to  distinguish  between 


EXCUSES     FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.       1 1  o 

the  regenerate  and  unregenenite  members  of  the 
visible  church  (which  yet  can  never  be  done  in 
this  state)  rather  than  as  public  badges  of  dis- 
tinction between  the  visibly  holy  and  profane, 
the  church  and  the  world.  Hence  not  the  vi- 
cious only,  but  conscientious  externally  religious 
persons,  are  kept  off  from  communion  with  the 
church.  Now  pray,  to  what  class  of  mankind  do 
these  belong?  They  cannot  well  be  numbered 
with  the  heathen,  or  the  openly  wicked  ?  They 
some  how  belong  to  the  church,  yet  are  not  es- 
teemed proper  members,  and  may  not  come  to 
Sacraments  more  than  the  heathen  ;  how  then 
can  the  Sacraments  make  distinction  between 
the  church  and  the  world  ?■»— What  does  it  sig- 
nify to  an  obstinate  offender,  who  will  not  hear 
the  church,  though  you  esteem  him  as  a  heathen 
man  and  a  publican,  while  he  sees  so  many  of 
his  apparently  religious  neighbours,  upon  the 
matter,  in  the  same  case  ?  thus  discipline  is  de- 
preciated and  weakened.  But  surely  this  is  not 
according  to  the  will  of  God ;  but  rather  that 
conduct  of  visible  church  members,  which  will 
maintain  and  support  discipline. 

These  arguments,  I  think,  abundantly  con- 
firm the  truth  of  what  1  am  maintaining,  viz. 
that  all  who  are  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the 
Christian  religion,  and  the  obligation  of  its  du- 
ties, are  immediately  bound  to  join  themselves 
to  the  Lord  and  his  church  ;  and  all  baptized 
persons,  who  have  arrived  to  a  competent  ca- 
pacity, are  bound  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table. — 


11-4  OBLIGATIONS   TO   PARTAKE,  AND 

I  shall  conclude  the  whole  with  a  few  general 
observations. 

Observation  1.  From  what  has  been  said  we 
observe,  upon  what  footing  the  visible  church 
is  called  a  holy,  a  special  people  to  the  Lord.* — 
A  holy  nation^ — Holiness  to  the  Lord.% — 
Saints  \ — And  very  commonly  the  Lord's  peo- 
ple. It  is  from  the  covenant-transactions  which 
have  passed  between  God  and  them,  whereby 
they  stand  related  to  him,  and  dedicated  to  his 
service  for  the  purposes  of  holiness  :  and  not 
from  any  previous  appearance  of  holiness  as  the 
ground  of  their  admission  thereto. — Whatever 
awakenings,  humiliations,  or  affections  may  be 
effected  by  the  word  amongst  sinners,  it  is  ne- 
ver to  purpose,  until  they  reject  sin,  and  cleave 
to  God  by  covenant.  And  therefore,  nothing 
short  of  public  covenanting  is  a  visible  sign  of 
holiness,  as  before  observed.  From  the  solem- 
nity of  such  transactions  in  their  very  nature, 
and  the  affecting  arguments  and  considerations 
usually  urged  on  such  occasions,  persons  are 
commonly  excited  to  much  seriousness,  which 
exhibits  a  more  striking  appearance  of  holiness, 
than  on  any  other  occasion. — Hence  saith  the 
Lord,  I  remember  thee,  the  kindness  of  thy 
uoutlu  and  the  love  of  thine  espousals,  when  thou 
wentest  after  me  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  land  that 
was  not  sown.    Israel  was  holiness  to  the  Lord.  [| 

Obs.  2.  We  may  hence  observe  with  what 
propriety  the  sacred  scriptures  require  of  all 

*  Deut-  vii.  6.         f  Excel,  xix.  6.  \  Jer.  ii.  2,  3.         $  Psal. 

Ixxix.  2-  Ixxxix.  5.  7.        II  Jer.  iL  2,  3. 


EXCUSES   FOR  NKGLFCTING,  CONSIDERED.        11  j 

who  have  been  entered  as  members  of  the  visi- 
ble church  by  circumcision  of  old.  or  baptism 
now,  that  they  live  to  God  in  the  exercise  of 
universal  holiness  of  heart  and  life ;  and  urge  it 
by  all  the  arguments  belonging  to  the  character 
of  God's  children  :  such  as  that  he  is  their  God ; 
they  are  his  people;  the  redemption  of  Christ; 
the  rich  grace  and  love  of  God  ;  and  the  glories 
of  heaven. — The  great  God  addresses  them  in 
his  word,  not  according  to  his  knowledge  of 
their  real  internal  state  as  the  searcher  of  hearts, 
but  according  to  their  external  character  and 
visible  appearance,  and  the  obligations  they  are 
brought  under.  Hence  their  sins  are  highly  ag- 
gravated, and  deeply  resented  as  a  contradiction 
to  their  public  character  ;  and  so  reflecting  great 
dishonour  upon  the  name  and  ways  of  God.* 
For  he  said,  surely  they  are  my  people,  chil- 
dren that  will  not  lie,  so  he  was  their 
Saviour.  In  all  their  affliction  he  was  afflicted, 
and  the  Angel  of  his  presence  saved  them  :  in  his 
love  and  in  his  pity  he  redeemed  them,  and  he 
bare  them,  and  carried  them  all  the  days  of -phi. 
But  they  rebelled  and  vexed  his  holy  .  pi- 
rit :  therefore  he  was  turned  to  be  their  ene- 
my, and  lie  foucht  against  them.  It  is  resent- 
ed as  exceedingly  offensive,  that  Israel  walked 
in  the  statutes  of  the  heathen  ;  and  aggravated 
from  this  circumstance,  that  it  was  against  the 
Lord  their  God  :f  and  that  hereby  they  re- 
jected his  statutes  and  his  covenant. 

Obs.  3.   We  may  see  from  what  has  been 


Isa.  Ixiii.  8,  9,  10.  t  2  Kings  xvii.  8,  9.  15. 


116      OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

said,  the  propriety  and  necessity  there  is  that 
the  ministers  of  Christ  should,  in  the  dispensa- 
tion of  God's  word,  distinguish  characters,  and 
address  them  to  the  consciences  of  men.  For 
though  their  public  character  is  that  of  saints, 
God's  children,  &c.  and  accordingly  all  the  ho- 
liness of  saints  is  demanded  of  them  ;  yet  the 
word  of  God  assures  us  there  are  hypocrites  in 
Zion,  branches  in  Christ  which  are  withered, 
foolish  virgins  amongst  the  wise,  and  tares  grow- 
ing among  the  wheat,  in  the  best  state  of  the 
church  here  below.  Though  the  ministers  of 
the  Gospel  cannot  distinguish  these,  personally, 
from  true  saints,  yet  they  can  distinguish  the 
characters  which  describe  the  one  and  the  other^ 
v,  hereby  the  consciences  of  men  may  be  ena- 
bled to  discern  their  own  proper  character.  It 
is  one  thing  to  be  visibly  a  child  of  Abraham, 
und  another  to  walk  in  the  saving  faith  of  Abra- 
ham. One  thing  to  be  a  visible  saint,  another  to 
be  really  one  in  the  sight  of  the  heart-searching 
God.  Therefore,  professors  had  need  to  look 
well  to  themselves  ;  and  examine,  and  know 
themselves  whether  they  be  in  the  faith,  and 
Christ  be  in  them.  And  not  rest  in  this,  that 
they  have  Abraham  to  their  father.  Hence  John 
the  Baptist  dealt  in  so  solemn  and  awakening 
a  manner  with  those  he  baptized.*  In  like  man- 
ner, let  every  Gospel  minister  acquit  himself. 
Amen. 

•  Matt.  in.  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12. 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.        117 

*   CASE     OF     CONSCIENCE. 

Should  not  a  person,  who  is  not  comfortably 
persuaded  of  his  being  a  real  Christian,  abstain 
from  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  lest  he 
should  eat  and  drink  damnation  to  himself? — 
And,  what  method  must  that  person  take  to  satis- 
fy a  church  of  Christ  of  his  being  a  real  Chris- 
tian, who  cannot  relate  any  particular  experience 
of  the  dealings  of  God  with  his  soul. 

These  questions  are  of  great  importance,  and 
therefore  deserve  a  distinct  consideration.  They 
were  occasioned  by  two  letters  sent  to  me, 
one  of  which  is  as  follows,  viz. 

"  Reverend  sir, 
u  I  Should  be  glad  you  would  resolve  the  fol- 
"  lowing  case,  on  the  Wednesday  night,  as  soon 
<'  as  opportunity  will  permit. — A  person  has 
4*  seme  hopes  he  has  experienced  a  real  saving 
^  change,  and  is  therefore  desirous  of  waiting 
"  upon  Christ  at  his  table  ;  but  is  greatly  dis- 
**'  couraged,  from  a  view  of  what  the  apostle 
says  upon  this  subject.  j*  This  passage  has 
occasioned  the  following  thoughts,  viz.*  If  he 
has  really  experienced  a  saving  change,  he  shall 
4;  be  saved,  whether  he  is  a  partaker  of  this  ordi- 
"  nance  or  not :  but,  on  the  other  hand,  if  he 
"  should  be  deceived  with  regard  to  the  state  of 
M  his  soul,  he  then  must  eat  and  drink  damnation 
**  to  himself,  and  so  be  excluded  from  even  any 
**  future  hopes   of  being  saved  at  all.      What 

•  FrosTi  P.ke  and  Hayward's  Cases  of  Consciencj. 
f  1  Cor.  xi.  27—29. 

i     2 


<< 


118  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

"  therefore  must  he  do  in  these  circumstau- 
"  ces  V 

This  short  letter  expresses  the  sentiments  of 
many  a  Christian.  The  person  who  wrote  it,  is 
desirous  of  attending  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  but  is  not  satisfied  that  he  is  a  child  of 
God,  and  is  therefore  afraid  of  eating  and  drink- 
ing  damnation  to  himself.  The  word  damnation 
fills  him  with  a  peculiar  awe,  and  sets  his  soul  a 
trembling — "  Is  this  the  consequence  ?  says  he. 
Oh  !  what  shall  I  do  ?  How  must  I  act  ?  "Must 
I  attend  in  these  circumstances,  when  I  know 
not  but  my  soul  may  be  ruined  for  ever  ?  Is  it 
not  rather  my  duty  toabatain  from  the  ordinance, 
as  it  is  not  absolutely  necessary  to  my  salvation  ? 
Here  are  two  things  that  present  themselves  be- 
fore me.  (1.)  I  may  be  saved,  and  yet  not  at- 
tend at  the  Lord's  Table.  (2.)  I  am  not  such 
but  on  attending  I  may  eat  and  drink  damnation 
to  myself.  What  therefore  must  I  do  ?" — Thus 
we  see  the  difficulty  this  person  is  under :  to 
endeavour  to  remove  which,  and  to  quicken  all 
that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  the  cheerful 
discharge  of  their  duty,  I  would, 

1.  Inquire  whether  a  person  may  not  satisfy 
himself  in  abstaining  from  the  Lord's  Supper  be- 
cause it  is  not  a  saving  ordinance  ?  This  is 
too  often  pleaded  as  an  excuse  by  those  who 
come  not  to  the  table :  but  it  will  appear  weak, 
as  well  as  ungrateful,  if  we  consider  these  twd 
things — 

1.  Though  the  Lord's  Supper  is  not  a  saving, 
jet  it  is  an  useful  ordinenct.  A  person  may  be 


excuses  ron  neglecting,  considered.     119 

saved,  who  never  appeared  at  the  Lord's  Tabic. 
This  consideration  should  be  an  encouragement 
to  those,  who  are  deprived  by  the  providence  of 
God  of  the  opportunity  :  but  it  should  be  no 
encouragement  to  negligence,  when  we  are  call- 
ed to  attend.  If  it  is  not  necessary  to  the  being 
of  a  Christian,  it  is  to  his  well  being.  Some 
make  a  Saviour  of  it :  they  are  never  easy,  till 
they  have  had  this  ordinance  administered  unto 
them  :  as  if  the  bare  receiving  it  was  sufficient 
to  wipe  away  every  sin,  and  to  entitle  a  person 
at  once  to  the  salvation  of  Christ.  Others  slight 
and  neglect  it.  How  happy  to  be  kept  from  these 
two  extremes  !  This  ordinance  was  not  designed 
to  be  a  standing  means  of  awakening  and  con- 
verting sinners,  but  it  was  of  carrying  on  the 
work  of  grace  in  the  heart,  and  of  training  up 
the  soul  for  heaven.  Particularly,  it  is  designed 
to  give  us  a  greater  hatred  of  sin,  and  fill  our 
souls  with  a  deeper  humiliation  for  it.  And  this 
it  does,  as  it  exhibits  all  the  riches  of  a  Redee- 
mer's love,  all  the  gjories  of  his  cross.  A  view 
of  these,  under  the  influences  of  the  Spirit,  pow- 
erfully, though  sweetly,  works  upon  an  ingenu- 
ous mind,  and  comes  with  an  energy  that  no- 
thing can  withstand. — "  Oh,  says  the  Christian, 
ihe  hatefulness  of  sin  !  Canst  thou  love  it,  O  my 
soul  ?  Canst  thou  fondly  embrace  and  pursue 
it  ?  O  melt,  melt,  my  hard  heart !  Why  dost 
thou  not  move  to  see  thy  pierced  Saviour,  a  Sa- 
viour pierced  for  thee,  pierced  by  thee  ?  Dost 
thou  not  rise  with  resentment  against  the  cruel 
and  obstinate  Jews,   who  thus  put  the  Son  of 


120  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

God  to  a  painful  and  ignominious  death  ?  Bui 
oh,  stop  thy  resentment  against  them,  and  look 
at  home  !  Thy  sins,  O  my  soul,  were  the  mur- 
derers of  thy  Lord  !  These  were  the  nails  that 
fastened  him  to  the  accursed  tree.  These  the 
spears  that  wounded  his  side,  that  covered  his  bo- 
dy with  a  bloody  sweat,  and  prepared  the  bitter 
cup  he  drank  !  O  weep,  mourn,  O  my  soul !  Be 
ever  humble  under  a  sense  of  sin,  and  dishonour 
not  that  Jesus,  who  loved  thee,  and  gave  him- 
self for  thee  ?" 

Again,    This  ordinance  tends  to  enliven  and 
strengthen  our  graces,  and  bring  us  to  a  greater^ 
conformity  to  God.    When  we  are  sitting  and 
viewing  the  matchless  love  of  Christ,  it  tends  to- 
fasten  the  deepest  convictions  of  our  obligations' 
to  him  upon  our  minds,  and  to  increase  our  love 
to  him.  It  tends  to  strengthen  our  faith  in  him, 
under  a  sense  of  our  guilt  and  unworthiness,  to 
reconcile  us  to  every  difficulty,  to  quicken  us 
when  slothful,  to  restore  us  when  wandering,, 
to  wean  our  affections  from  earthly  things  and 
carry  on  the  work   of  God  in  the  soul.  "  Oh, 
says  the  Christian,  see  what  love  !  And  shall   I 
loiter  thus?  Shall  I  be  so  cold  to  Jesus  ?  Oh,. 
why  does  not  the  fire  burn  within  me?  why  so 
slothful?  Up,  O  my  soul!  and  let  thy  Redee- 
mer's glory  be  ever  thy  concern,  as  thy  everlast- 
ing salvation  was  his." 

Again,  This  ordinance  tends  greatly  to  pro- 
mote our  spiritual  comfort.  Here,  behold  a  Fa- 
ther's love  !  He  parts  with  his  only  begotten  Son,. 
and  delivers  him  up  to  an  accursed  death  for  us  I 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.   121 

Here,  see  the  Saviour's  heart  how  much  it  is  set 
upon  our  salvation  !  View  here  the  virtue,  the 
glory  of  an  infinitely  atoning  sacrifice  !  See  jus- 
tice sheathing  its  awful  sword,  death  and  hell 
vanquished,  the  uttermost  farthing  paid,  and  all 
the  blessings  of  salvation  fully  purchased  ! 
Oh,  here  behold  a  righteousness  provided, 
the  promises  confirmed,  and  grace  and  glory 
both  secured  to  every  chosen  vessel !  How 
animating,  how  comforting  such  a  view  ! — "  Oh 
how  glorious  says  the  Christian.  See,  O  my 
soul,  thy  Saviour's  love  !  And  wilt  thou  any- 
more distrust  him !  View  the  triumphs  of  the 
cross  !  And  wilt  thou  any  longer  be  afraid  ?  Olt 
what  a  foundation  is  here  laid  for  a  strong  faith 
and  a  lively  hope  ! 

Again,  This  ordinance  tends  to  increase  our 
love  to  one  another.  It  is  a  cementing  ordinance. 
It  cannot  but  raise  in  us  a  mutual  affection, 
whilst  we  view  each  other  as  purchased  by  the 
same  blood,  members  of  the  same  body,  and 
children  of  the  same  family. — Thus  then,  though 
it  may  not  be  absolutely  necessary  to  our  salva- 
tion to  wait  upon  Christ  at  his  table,  yet  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  our  growth  in  grace,  our  greater 
comfort  here,  ana  fitness  for  a  better  world  ;  and 
therefore  it  is  our  duty  and  privilege  to  appear 
amongst  his  people  there.  But, 

Christ  himself  instituted  this  ordinance,  and  in- 
vites his  followers  to  wait  upon  him  here.  What 
our  Lord  said  to  his  disciples,  he  s  iys  also  to  us 
in  this  distant  age,  *  Do  this  in  remembrance  of 

*  1  Cor.ii.24, 


i22  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,   AND 

me.  And  where  is  the  expression  of  our  love  r 
where  our  gratitude,  if  we  refuse  to  obey  ? — 
"  Oh  says  the  soul,  has  my  Redeemer  com- 
manded those  that  love  him  to  wait  upon  him 
here  ?  This  commands  enough  for  me  :  I  can- 
not but  obey.  Who  can  resist  his  love  ?  Who 
can  hear  the  compassionate  Jesus.,  who  came 
and  suffered  death  ;  who  can  hear  him  inviting 
his  dear  followers  to  his  table,  and  say,  I  will 
not  come,  for  I  may  be  saved  without  it?  How 
disingenuous  is  this  !" — What,  has  he,  who  lov- 
ed us  so  as  to  give  himself  for  us,  called  us  ? 
And  will  ye  not  obey  his  call,  because  you  may 
get  safe  to  a  better  world,  and  yet  never  attend 
at  this  ordinance  ?  Where  is  your  concern  to 
honour  your  Redeemer  ? — These  hints,  I  hope, 
are  sufficient  to  shew  the  weakness  of  this  ar- 
gument, the  Christian  is  so  ready  to  make  use 
of  for  his  neglect  of  this  institution,  and  to  stir 
him  up  to  a  diligent  and  cheerful  discharge  of 
his  duty,  that  he  may  glorify  his  once  dead, 
but  now  exalted  Saviour,  and  gain  some  sa- 
ving advantage  to  his  own  soul.  I  now  pro- 
ceed, 

11.  To  consider  the  other  objection  which  our 
friend  makes  to  his  waiting  upon  Christ  in  this 
ordinance,  viz.  a  fear  lest  he  should  eat  and  drink 
damnation  to  himself  This  objection  seems  to 
lie  in  your  mind,  my  dear  Christian  friend,  thus 
— "  If  I  should  eat  and  drink  unworthily,  1  shall 
eat  and  drink  damnation  to  myself;  and  I  am 
not  sure  that  this  will  not  be  the  case  :  there- 
fore shall  I  attend,  when  the  consequences  may 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.      125 

be  so  awful  ?  Oh,  that  word  damnation,  it  strikes 
me  with  a  peculiar  terror  !" — Thus  the  greatest 
stress  appears  to  be  laid  upon  this  alarming 
word.  If  then  I  can  set  this  circumstance  in  such 
a  light,  as  to  remove  these  distressing  fears,  I 
hope  the  case  will  be  in  some  measure  resolved. 
That  this  may  be  done,  I  would  consider,  what 
that  unworthy  eating  and  drinking  is,  which  is 
brought  in  as  the  cause  of  this  damnation,  and 
then  the  damnation  itself. 

First,  Let  us  inquire  what  it  is  to  eat  and  drink 
unworthily.  He  that  does  so,  attends  upon  this 
ordinance  in  a  manner  and  with  ends  and  views 
different  from  those  for  which  it  was  appointed, 
This  was  the  case  with  the  Corinthians.  *  They 
had  not  the  glory  of  Christ  in  view,  when  they 
met  together  to  administer  this  ordinance.  They 
fell  into  contentions  and  confusions,  so  that 
there  could  not  be  that  harmony,  which  was  ne- 
cessary to  be  found  in  a  church  sitting  down  to- 
gether at  the  Lord^s  table.  They  came  not  to 
view  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  or  to  remem- 
ber his  matchless  love,  but  to  satisfy  their  crav- 
ing appetites,  and  refresh  animal  nature ;  and 
they  were  so  disorderly,  that  some  even  ate  and 
drank  to  an  excess,  whilst  others  had  not  enough 
to  satisfy  their  hunger.  Thus  we  see  what  it  is 
to  eat  and  drink  unworthily,  Viz.  when  we  at- 
tend in  an  irreverent,  disorderly,  and  carnal 
manner,  and  for  ends  different  from  those  for 
which  the    ordinance    was   appointed   by   our 

*  1  Cor.  xi.  18— 22. 


124  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

Lord ;  when  we  prostitute  it  to  some  earthly 
purposes,  and  have  no  regard  to  the  frame  of  soul 
in  which  we  attend,  or  to  the  great  ends  to  be 
answered  by  it. 

Secondly,  Let  us  now  consider  what  this  dam- 
nation is.  And, 

1.  Taking  the  word  in  the  most  awful  sense,  as 
signifying  eternal  condemnation,  it  should  not  de- 
ter us  from  waiting  upon  Christ  in  this  ordinance. 
In  this  case  it  does  not  signify,  that  there  is  no 
forgiveness  after  an  unworthy  receiving.  Many 
have  sat  down  at  the  table  of  the  Lord,  who 
were  enemies  to  him,  and  yet  have  afterwards 
been  the  triumph  of  sovereign  grace.  Thus,  ye 
timorous  souls,  who  are  so  often  distressed  with 
a  view  of  this  awful  word,  and  entertain  from 
hence  such  solemn  thoughts  of  this  ordinance^ 
see,  here  is  nothing  to  affright  you  from  this,  a- 
ny  more  than  from  any  other  sacred  institution. 
You  may  as  well  not  read,  hear,  or  pray  ;  be- 
cause, if  these  are  not  the  means  of  your  salva- 
tion, the  consequence  will  be  your  damnation. 
Doubtless,  all  the  ordinances  the  impenitent  sin- 
ner has  attended  upon,  will  appear  against  him, 
and  increase  his  misery  in  the  infernal  regions. 
But  this  should  not  drive  us  from  the  house  of 
God,  but  fill  us  with  a  serious  concern  that  our 
waiting  upon  God  may  be  effectual  to  bring  our 
souls  to  Jesus  Christ.  But, 

2.   The  word  damnation  is  to  be  taken  in  a  sof- 
ter sense.     As, 

(1.)  It  signifies  temporal  judgments  or  afflio* 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.       i:2.) 

tions*  Thus  the  apostle  explains  it,  when  he 
adds  in  the  next  verse,  For  this  cause  many  are 
weak  and  sickly  among  you,  and  many  sleep.  As 
if  he  had  said,  As  you  come  to  the  table  of  the 
Lord  in  so  disorderly  a  manner,  and  have  per- 
verted the  end  and  design  of  this  ordinance  ;  so 
God  has  manifested  his  displeasure,  by  laying 
his  hand  upon  you,  insomuch  that  many  of  you 
are  in  an  unhealthy,  feeble,  and  sickly  condition, 
and  many  have  been  removed  out  of  time  into 
eternity.  Thus  this  word  damnation  carries  no- 
thing frightful  in  it. 

(2.)  It  signifies  hete  such  afflictions  as  are  a 
means  of  our  spiritual  good.  Thus  says  the  apos- 
tle, ver.  32.  But  when  we  are  judged,  we  are 
chastened  of  the  Lord  that  we  may  not  be  con- 
demned with  the  world, — That  is  when  we  are 
thus  under  outward  afflictions,  we  are  mercifully 
chastened  and  gently  corrected  of  God,  that  we 
may  not  continue  prostituting  his  sacred  ordi- 
nances to  the  vilest  purposes,  and  so  be  con- 
demned with  the  world ;  but  that  we  may  be 
convinced,  humbled,  and  reclaimed.  Thus  these 
considerations  take  every  frightful  idea  from  the 
mind,  respecting  this  formidable  word,  and  conse- 
quently tend  to  remove  those  distresses  and  dis- 
couragements occasioned  by  it. 

Some  perhaps  may  say,  This  is  encouraging 
indeed  !  You  say,  a  person's  unworthy  receiving 
does  not  expose  him  to  eternal  damnation,  but 
only  brings  upon  him  a  few  temporal  afflictions, 


*  Luke  xxiii.  40.  chap.  xxiv.  20.  1  Pet.  iv.  17. 

M 


126  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

which  are  in  reality  blessings  :  so  that  by  this 
you  give  encouragement  to  persons  to  come 
and  trifle  with  this  sacred  ordinance. — God  for- 
bid, that  I  should  have  such  a  view  as  this  ! 
This,  I  am  certain,  is  far  from  being  the  con- 
clusion a  reai  Christian  will  draw  from  what  has 
been  said.  To  do  evil,  that  good  may  come,  is 
not  the  character  of  a  true  follower  of  Jesus. 
Because  God  only  gently  chastises  and  corrects 
our  negligence  and  slothfulness,  and  makes  these 
corrections  a  means  of  our  spiritual  good,  shall 
we  therefore  rush  boldly  upon  this  ordinance  ? 
No.  What  has  been  said  only  tends  to  remove 
the  distressing  fears  of  the  Christian  about  the 
word  damnation,  and  to  encourage  him  to  come 
to  the  table  of  his  Lord;  and  does  not  promote 
a  carelessness  of  spirit,  nor  will  have  this  in- 
fluence upon  a  mind  under  the  power  of  gos- 
pel truths. 

Come  then,  ye  fearful  souls,  who  start  at  the 
mention  of  this  ordinance.  Do  you  not  love  Je- 
sus ?  Have  you  not  made  choice  of  him  as  your 
Saviour  ?  Would  you  not  love  him  more,  and 
be  brought  into  a  greater  conformity  to  him  ? 
You  are  the  very  persons  Christ  invites.  Would 
you  prostitute  this  ordinance  to  any  vile  earthly 
purpose  ?  would  you  eat  and  drink  in  a  disor- 
derly and  indecent  manner  ?  No.  You  would 
come  to  remember  the  love  of  a  dying  Redee- 
mer, and  to  view  all  that  is  here  exhibited  :  *you 
would  come  to  be  quickened,  to  behold  a  suf- 
fering Saviour,  to  admire  the  riches  of  distin- 
guishing grace  in  the  sacrifice  of  the  Son  of  God: 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.       127 

but  you  are  afraid  you  are  unworthy,  and  unfit 
to  make  such  an  approach  to  God,  and  be 
indulged  with  such  a  privilege.  If  it  be  thus  with 
you,  do  not  be  discouraged.  Venture  near  your 
Redeemer.  Come  humbly  to  view  your  expi- 
ring Lord,  and  to  plead  and  rest  upon  his  ato- 
ning sacrifice,  and  you  will  be  far  from  eating 
and  drinking  damnation  to  yourselves .  If  you 
were  to  come  for  some  selfish  ends,  as  the  way 
to  worldly  advancement  or  profit,  and  to  pay  no 
regard  to  the  body  and  blood  of  a  Saviour,  you 
might  have  reason  to  conclude  you  were  unwor- 
thy receivers.  But,  if  you  have  a  humble  sense 
of  your  sinfulness,  if  you  desire  to  come  looking 
to  Jesus,  that  you  may  be  strengthened,  sancti- 
fied,, and  quickened  \  you  need  not  be  afraid, 
but  came  with  liberty  and  cheerfulness.  He  that 
has  invited  you,  will  make  you  welcome,  and 
carry  on  his  work  in  you  by  all  the  ordinances  he 
has  appointed. 

Thus  I  have  endeavoured  to  answer  the  first 
question. 

Since  I  received  this,  the  second  question 
was  sent  me,  which  I  thought  not  improper  to 
add  here.  "  A  person  looks  upon  it  as  his  duty 
to  wait  upon  Christ  in  this  ordinance  :  but  the 
church  with  whom  he  would  walk,  require  him 
to  give  an  account  of  the  dealings  of  God  with 
his  soul.  As  he  cannot  relate  any  particular  ex- 
perience of  this,  so  he  wants  to  know  what  he 
must  do  in  this  difficulty." 

This,  you  see,  is  a  general  question,  and 
leaves  us  at  a  loss  to  know  wherein  the  particu- 


! 


128 

lar  difficulty  of  this  person  lies.  I  shall  there- 
fore endeavour  to  state  in  it  two  or  three  differ- 
ent views,  and  then  shew  what  a  person  must 
do  to  satisfy  a  church  in  such  circumstances. 

You  are  desirous  of  waiting  upon  Christ  in 
all  the  ordinances  of  his  house ;  but  you  cannot 
relate  any  experience  of  God's  dealings  with 
you,  so  as  to  give  the  church  satisfaction  in  ad- 
mitting you  to  the  enjoyment  of  such  a  privi- 
lege. Perhaps  you  mean  by  this  that  you  can- 
not relate  the  particular  time  and  circumstances 
of  your  conversion.  This  was  the  case  with  many 
of  those  happy  souls,  who  are  now  standing  be- 
fore the  throne  of  God  ;  and  I  doubt  not,  but  it 
is  thus  with  many  of  those  of  whom  the  churches 
of  Christ  are  composed  here.  Some  God  sanc- 
tifies from  the  womb :  in  others,  the  change, 
though  effectually  made,  yet  is  done  impercep- 
tibly. To  inquire  of  such  an  account  of  their 
conversion,  or  to  refuse  them  because  they  are 
incapable  of  giving  it,  is  what  no  church  of 
Christ  has  a  right  to  do,  and  therefore  should  be 
no  cause  of  stumbling  to  you. 

Again,  Perhaps  you  have  had  no  extraordi- 
nary remarkable  circumstances,  in  the  course  of 
your  experience  to  relate  to  the  church  ;  and  this 
may  therefore  involve  you  in  some  difficulty. 
God  does  not  deal  with  all  his  people  in  the 
same  way.  Some  are  led  smoothly  and  silently 
on  from  step  to  step.  They  are  savingly  en- 
lightened, and  brought  to  Jesus,  are  carried  on 
through  the  divine  life,  and  get  safe  to  glory, 
without  any  noise  or  any  thing  very  remarkable 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.   129 

in  their  experience.  They  appear  to  be  almost 
always  the  same,  and  yet  go  on  from  strength 
to  strength.  This  may  be  your  case,  my  friend. 
Others  can  give  an  account  of  great  distresses, 
great  consolations  and  enjoyments,  great  melt- 
ings of  soul  in  ordinances  and  duties,  Esfc.  And 
because  you  cannot  do  the  same,  you  are  afraid 
you  have  no  real  experience  of  renewing  grace. 
You  have  but  very  little  to  say,  and  that  to  no 
purpose,  in  your  own  apprehensions.  But  con- 
sider, those  accounts  are  not  always  genuine, 
that  appear  to  be  the  most  striking ;  nor  do 
those  always  turn  out  eminent  Christians,  who 
are  so  long  and  so  circumstantial  in  their  decla- 
rations.— But  your  question  returns—  What  must 
you  do  in  your  present  case  ? 

1.  If  you  cannot  remember  the  time  and  cir- 
cumstances of  your  conversion,  and  how  the  work 
has  been  carried  on,  inquire  into  the  evidences 
you  can  give  of  a  change,  and  relate  them  to  the 
church.  You  know,  my  friend,  whether  you 
have  made  a  practice  of  sinning  or  not ;  whether 
sin  has  been  the  object  of  your  delight.  If  this 
has  been  the  case,  you  have  no  experience  of 
the  grace  of  God.  But,  if  you  hope  it  has  been 
your  concern  to  hate  sin,  to  have  your  corrup- 
tions subdued,  and  to  have  your  heart  cleansed 
from  those  secret  evils,  which  have  appeared 
detestable  to  you,  and  have  caused  you  daily 
to  mourn  before  God ;  if  you  have  striven  and 
prayed  against  them,  and  longed  for  deliverance 
from  them ;  you  have  a  comfortable  evidence  of 
your  being  a  Christian  indeed. 
m  2 


130  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AXf; 

Again,  Have  you  been  diligent  m  the  use  of 
those  means  God  has  appointed?  And  what  are 
your  -views  herein  ?  Is  it  to  atone  for  sins  yon 
have  committed,  to  estabHsh  a  righteousness  to 
justify  you  before  God,  or  to  answer  some  sel- 
fish purposes  ?  You  have  then  no  reason  to  con- 
clude that  you  are  a  Christian.  But,  if  it  has 
been  out  of  obedience  to  the  command  of  God, 
to  meet  with  him,  to  feel  the  quickening,  sanc- 
tifying influences  of  the  Spirit,  and  to  be  fitted 
more  for  heaven,  this  is  another  evidence  of  your 
having  received  the  grace  of  God. 

Again,  Is  Christ  precious  to  you  ?  Have  you 
committed  your  soul,  so  far  as  you  know  your- 
self, into  his  hands  ?  Do  you  see  a  suitableness 
in  all  his  characters  ?  In  fine,  is  he  your  all  and 
in  all  ?  Never  say  then  that  you  have  no  saving 
experience  ;  for  what  is  this  ? — Go,  my  friend, 
and  tell  the  church,  that  though  you  are  not  able 
to  fill  up  a  sheet  with  a  long  detail  of  remarka- 
ble circumstances,  yet  you  hope  you  see  your- 
self guilty?  you  hate  sin,  have  fled  for  refuge  to 
Jesus  the  Mediator,  and  have  left  your  soul  with 
him  ;  that  he  is  precious  to  you,  you  have  taken 
him  for  your  Lord,  your  portion,  your  all,  and 
desire  to  bear  his  image,  and  to  live  to  his  glo- 
ry. Is  not  this  enough  to  give  satisfaction  ? — 
liut  perhaps  you  cannot  positively  say  this  is  the 
case  with  you.  You  are  under  great  fears,  lest 
vour  heart  should  deceive  you. — Declare  your 
feats  then,  as  well  as  your  hopes?  and  leave  your 
rase  to  the  decision  of  the  church,  praying  that 
they  may  be  guided  in  their  dutv  towards  vou. 


EXCUSES    FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.       131 

2.  Examine  the  present  frame  of  your  soul 
tvith  a  regard  to  this  ordinance.  You  say,  you 
have  no  account  to  give  of  God's  dealings  with 
you,  and  yet  you  are  convinced  that  it  is  your 
duty  to  wait  upon  Christ  at  his  table.  Now,  if 
you  have  no  real  experience  of  the  grace  of  God, 
you  have  no  proper  claim  to  this  privilege.  I 
would  ask  you  therefore,  and  would  beg  you  to 
ask  yourself,  whence  is  it  that  you  are  satisfied 
that  it  is  your  duty  ?  A  due  examination  of  this 
will,  in  some  measure,  lay  before  you  the  ends 
you  have  in  view  in  desiring  to  attend  this  so- 
lemn institution,  and  be  a  means  of  furnishing 
you  with  something  to  say  to  the  church  to  di- 
rect them  as  to  your  admission  amongst  them. 
Do  you  apprehend  then  it  is  the  duty  of  every 
common  professor,  and  therefore  yours,  to  ap- 
pear at  the  Lord's  table.  If  this  is  all  we  have 
to  say,  we  are  guided  by  a  blind  and  ignorant 
zeal.  But  further  are  you  desirous  of  coming  to 
this  ordinance,  as  you  will  be  hereby  more  pe- 
culiarly entitled  to  the  divine  favour,  or  that  it 
will  gain  you  reputation  amongst  those  you  con- 
verse with  *?  This  shews  you  how  much  you 
are  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the  ordinance, 
and  the  gospel  method  of  salvation,  and  that  it 
is  far  from  being  your  duty  to  attend.  I  would 
hope  better  things  of  you,  my  friend.  But 
whence  is  it  then  that  you  see  it  your  duty  ? 
Have  you  any  reason  to  hope  that  you  have 
given  up  yourself  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  do  you 
see  your  presence  at  the  table  necessary  to  tes- 
tify your  love  publicly  to  him  ?  Do  you  look 


132  OBLIGATIONS    TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

upon  it  as  useful  to  quicken,  strengthen,  and 
comfort  the  soul  ?  Do  you  see  any  excellency 
in  it,  as  being  peculiarly  adapted,  and  made  ef- 
fectual by  the  Spirit,  to  crucify  our  lusts  and 
corruptions,  to  enliven  our  graces,  to  kindle  a 
fire  of  love  to  Jesus,  and  help  to  keep  alive  a 
sense  of  our  obligations  to  him  ?  In  fine,  do  you 
desire  to  come  here,  that  you  may  view  a  cru- 
cified Saviour,  feel  the  influences  of  his  love 
more  on  your  heart,  and  be  engaged  to  a  more 
lively  obedience?  Do  you  desire  to  come  as  a 
miserable,  guilty,  naked  creature  to  Christ,  as 
exhibited  in  this  ordinance,  to  plead  his  sacri- 
fice, and  to  lie  at  the  foot  of  his  cross  mourning 
for  your  sins?  These  are  views  suitable  to  this 
institution,  shew  that  you  are  a  Christian  indeed, 
that  you  have  a  real  experience,  and  that  you 
have  a  right  to  all  the  privileges  of  God's  house* 
To  sum  up  all,  if  this  be  the  case  with  you,  God 
has  been  manifesting  himself  to  your  soul,  as 
he  does  not  to  the  world,  and  you  have  reason 
to  be  abundantly  satisfied.  Go,  then,  and  tell  the 
church  what  you  have  seen,  what  you  have  felt, 
what  is  your  present  frame,  what  the  foundation 
of  your  hopes,  and  what  you  trust  your  desires, 
your  ends  and  views  are  ;  and  all  this,  I  doubt 
not,  will  appear  to  them  as  a  sufficient  evidence 
of  a  work  of  grace  in  your  heart,  and  therefore 
of  your  right  to  all  the  ordinances  God  has 
appointed. 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.         133 

A  dialogue*  between  a  weak  believer  that  dares 
not  come  to,  and  a  strong  believer  that  dares 
not  absent  himself  from  the  Lord's  Supper. 

Strong  Believer.  MY  friend  I  am  glad  to 
meet  with  you.  I  rejoice  in  your  health,  and 
in  the  mercy  vouchsafed  to  us  both,  that  we 
have  one  Lord's  day  more  to  wait  upon  our 
God. 

JFeak  Believer.  I  may  account  it  a  mercy 
indeed,  who  have  been  so  dull  and  dead,  so  out 
of  frame  all  the  week  long,  and  yet  so  uncertain 
what  the  state  of  my  soul  is.  But  I  pray  you, 
where  are  you  going  so  cheerfully  \ 

S.  I  am  going  to  a  feast. 

W.  Do  you  spend  holy  time  in  feasting  t 

S.  Yes,  in  such  feasting  as  I  am  going  to. 

W.  What  feast  do  you  mean  ? 

S.  A  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on 
the  lees,  fat  things,  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on 
the  lees,  well  refined. 

\V.  Who  invites  you  to  this  feast,  of  which 
you  speak  such  great  things  ? 

S.  God  himself  makes  the  feast,  and  invites 
me  to  it :  our  Father  makes  a  banquet  for  his 
children. 

W.  If  God  call  you  to  a  feast,  the  provisions 
surely  are  according  to  the  state  of  so  great  a 
King  r 

S.  Wisdom  hath  killed  her  beasts,  she  hath 
mingled  her  wine,  she  hath  furnished  her  table, 
the  oxen  and  fatlings  are  killed,  and  all  things 

*  From  a  Treatise  on  the  Lord's  Supper  by  Thomas  Doolittle,  but 
somewhat  modernized  for  the  present  purpose. 


134  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

are  ready  :  there  is  milk  for  the  weak,  and  wine 
for  the  strong,  and  sorrowful  of  heart.  There  is 
bread  for  the  hungry,  water  for  the  thirsty,  and 
every  thing  that  is  necessary  or  delightful.  In- 
deed it  is  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  who  is 
the  matter  and  Master  of  this  feast. 

W.  You  mean,  1  perceive,  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per ;  and  I  have  heard  indeed  of  some,  that  great 
and  precious  things  are  there  prepared  -? 

S.  Yes,  there  are,  and  I  feel  my  heart  burn 
within  me,  while  I  am  speaking  of  them,  and 
the  love  of  him  that  hath  prepared  them,  and 
called  me  unto  them. 

W.  Surely  you  will  be  much  delighted  when 
you  are  there,  since  your  heart  is  thus  raised  as 
you  are  going  to  it  ? 

S.  Raised  through  the  mercy  of  ray  God,  at 
this  time  it  is,  but  sometimes  it  is  not  so ;  yet 
when  without  a  sense  of  the  love  of  God,  I 
would  not  dare  to  absent  myself  from  this  holy 
supper ;  for  even  then  I  endeavour  to  keep  a  sense 
of  my  duty  towards  him,  and  of  my  wants,  to 
fetch  supplies  from  him  by  this  and  other  means, 
appointed  in  his  word. 

W.  Whether  therefore  you  have  the  light  of 
God's  countenance  or  no,  you  refrain  not  from 
partaking  of  the  Supper  of  the  Lord  ? 

S.  Though  I  have  no  comfort,  I  would  do 
my  duty.  Then  my  soul  longs,  thirsts,  and  ex- 
ceedingly desires,  that  through  the  mercy  of  my 
God,  and  merits  of  my  Saviour,  I  may  taste  of 
these  provisions,  and  feed  emblematically  upon 
my  Lord  Redeemer,  whose  flesh  is  meat  indeed, 
and  whose  blood  is  drink  indeed. 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.   13J 

W.  But  I  pray  you,  what  are  these  provi- 
sions that  are  thus  prepared ;  and  do  thus  affect 
your  heart  ? 

S.  They  are  to  him  who  partakes  with  faith, 
rich  and  costly  provisions ;  they  are  free,  suita- 
ble, plentiful,  sufficient,  soul-nourishing,  heart- 
cherishing  provisions. 

W.  Will  you  not  particularize  some  of  these 
provisions  for  my  better  information  ? 

S.  My  soul  rejoiceth  within  me. 

W.  Alas,  how  dull  am  I  while  he  is  thus  af- 
fected ! 

S.  My  soul  rejoiceth  within  me,  while  I  am 
calling  them  up  by  recollection. 

\V .  What  are  they  ? 

S.  What  ?  Christ  and  all  his  privileges  are 
ready  to  be  exhibited,  and  sealed  to  my  soul 
this  day. 

W.  What  privileges  ? 

S.  Peace  with  God,  pardon  of  sin,  justifying 
righteousness,  peace  of  conscience,  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  grace  to  persevere  to  the  end  of 
life,  and  at  the  end  eternal  happiness. 

W.  Show  me  the  suitableness  of  these  pro- 
visions to  your  soul  ? 

S.  A  Saviour  is  suitable  to  a  lost  sinner :  par- 
don to  a  guilty  sinner;  peace  with  God  to  a  sin- 
ner that  was  an  enemy  to  God ;  peace  of  con- 
science to  a  sinner  under  apprehensions  of  God's 
wrath;  justification  to  a  condemned  sinner; 
cleansing  blood  to  a  polluted  sinner ;  comfort 
to  a  dejected  sinner ;  these,  these  are  the  pro- 
visions which  are  set  upon  my  Father's  table. 


136  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

W.  These  are  great  and  excellent  things  in- 
deed, but  who  are  the  guests  invited  to  this 
feast  ?  For  whom   are  these  provisions  made  ? 

S.  For  those  that  are  burdened  with  sin, 
and  forsake  it  :  for  those  that  hunger  and 
thirst  after  righteousness  ;  for  the  children  of 
God ;  for  the  friends  and  followers  of  Christ ; 
for  those  that  are  willing  to  receive  him  in  all 
his  offices. 

W.  But  are  the  poor,  and  those  that  have  no 
money,  invited  unto  this  feast  ? 

S.  Yes,  yes,  the  poor  in  purse  might  be  wel- 
come, and  the  poor  in  spirit  shall  be  welcome  : 
God  loves  to  see  his  table  filled  with  those  that 
are  sensible  of  their  wants  and  sins,  and  those 
he  will  satisfy  abundantly  with  the  fulness  of  his 
house,  and  cause  them  to  drink  of  the  rivers  of 
his  pleasures,  when  the  full  self-righteous  pha- 
risee  shall  be  sent  empty  away. 

W.  This  revives  my  heart,  if  you  can  make 
it  good. 

S.  The  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it, 
and  therefore  you  may  not  doubt  thereof.  He  is 
most  earnest  with  the  hungry  and  thirsty  to 
come,  *  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye 
to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money  ;  come 
ye,  buy  and  eat :  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk 
without  money,  and  without  price.  And  the 
Son  calleth  such,  f  In  the  last  day,  that  great 
day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying, 
If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and 
- »  i  »  ... 

•   Isa.lv.  1.         f  John  vii.  37. 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.   I3f 

drink.  And  the  Spirit  calleth  such.  *  "  And  the 
M  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say  come;  and  let  him  thai 
u  hearcth,  say,  come  ;  and  let  him  that  is  a- thirst; 
M  come  ;  and  whosoever  will  let  him  drink  of  the 
u  water  of  life  freely."  And  the  ministers  of  God 
are  sent  to  call  such,  f  i6  The  master  of  the  house 
"  said  to  his  servants,  Go  out  quickly  into  the 
"  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city,  and  bringin  hither 
"  the  poor,  and  the  maimed,  and  the  halt  and  the 
blind."  "  Andthe  Lord  said  untohis  servants.  Go 
*•  out  into  the  highways,"  (where  the  poor  men  are 
wont  to  beg)  "  and  hedges,"  (where  poor  men 
are  wont  to  work)  "  and  compel  them  to  come  in, 
H  that  my  house  may  be  filled." 

W.  And  do  these  scriptures  encourage  you 
to  frequent  this  ordinance  ? 

S.  Yes  :  And  because  the  same  God  that 
commandeth  me  to  pray,  commands  me  to  re- 
ceive, and  hath  given  me  hopes,  that  I  shall  be 
partaker  of  the  benefits  thereof,  I  am  bound  to 
wait  upon  the  Lord  therein. 

W.  What  do  you  hope  to  be  partaker  of,  by 
going  to  this  ordinance  ? 

8.  I  hope  to  have  my  heart  enflamed  with 
love  to  God,  and  desires  after  Christ,  to  have 
my  Saviour  more  endeared  to  my  soul,  my  heart 
softened,  my  sins  subdued,  my  faith  strengthen- 
ed, my  evidences  cleared,  and  my  soul  assured 
of  eternal  life. 

W .  What  reason  have  you  to  hope  that  you 

*  Rev.  x.v.i.  17.  |  Luke  xtv.  V 

N 


138 

shall  have  these  advantages  by  going  to  the 
Lord's  Supper  ? 

S.  Not  for  any  worth  in  me ;  but  God  is  pleas- 
ed to  .give  those  things  freely  for  the  sake  of 
Christ,  to  those  that  in  obedience  to  his  com- 
mand, in  a  right  manner,  and  for  a  right  end,  do 
make  conscience  of  this  duty. 

W.  What  course  have  you  taken  beforehand* 
that  you  have  such  hopes  of  such  benefits  by  this 
ordinance  ? 

S.  I  do  not  wish  to  declare  what  my  secret 
duties  are,  but  if  it  might  be  for  your  edifica- 
tion, or  instruction  I  shall  not  be  unwilling  to 
acquaint  you. 

W..  do,  I  pray  you  for  I  stand  in  need  of 
help,  from  others  more  experienced  in  holy  du- 
ties? 

S.  I  cannot  say,  lam  more  experienced;  but 
ihis  I  did,  I  seriously  searched  my  heart  to  find 
die  truth  of  grace,  my  interest  in  Christ,  my 
light  unto  this  ordinance  ;  to  find  out  my  sins, 
and  have  renewed  my  repentance  for  them,  my 
wants,  and  have  begged  of  God,  as  earnestly  as 
I  could,  that  I  might  be  supplied  at  his  table, 
and  strengthened  to  discharge  this  duty  to  his 
glory,  and  my  own  comfort. 

W.  O  happy  man  !  that  hath  these  provi- 
sions prepared  you  ;  and  can  go  with  such  de- 
light, and  holy  confidence  to  partake  of  them  ? 

S.  You  also  may  draw  near  unto  this  table  of 
the  .Lord,  and  have  a  share  of  these  gospel  bene- 
fits, and  be  assured  of  them. 

W.  J :.?  Alas!    alas!    vou    know   not   what 


EXCUSES    FOR  NEGLECTING;  CONSIDERED.       13^ 

I  am,  and  what  I  have  been  ;  I  dare  not  med- 
dle  with  the  blood  of  Christ  in  this  ordinance. 

S.  You  may  come  and  eat  of  this  bread,  and 
drink  of  the  cup. 

VV.  What  I!  Shall  a  dog  eat  of  the  children's 
bread  ?  I  dare  not  do  it. 

S.  You  must ;  you  sin  if  you  neglect  it. 

W.  Sin !  I  absent  myself  from  it,  because 
I  would  not  sin  against  the  blood  of  Christ ; 
But  how  can  you  say,  I  sin  if  I  do   not  come  ? 

S.  Because  you  live  in  the  neglect  of  a 
plain  commanded  duty.  It  is  a  slighting  of  a 
special  token  of  the  love  of  your  dying  Lord. 

W.   But  I  would  come  if  1  were  fit. 

S.  It  is  a  neglecting  of  the  seal  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace.  It  is  hypocrisy  to  complain  of 
the  hardness  of  your  heart,  whilst  you  refuse  the 
means  to  have  it  softened  ;  and  of  the  power  of 
your  sin,  and  will  not  use  the  means  to  have  it 
weakened. 

W.  Surely  no  one  under  my  doubts  and  fears 
ever  went  to  this  ordinance,  and  found  good 
thereby. 

S.  Many  have.  I  myself  was  long  under  the 
same  doubts  and  fears,  and  know  my  heart  was 
as  bad  as  yours  can  be  :  but  when  I  was  willing 
to  forsake  my  sin,  and  close  with  Christ,  sense 
of  duty,  and  fear  of  sinning  moved  me 
to  the  use  thereof;  and  there  God  resolved  my 
doubts,  removed  my  fears,  and  made  it  profi- 
table to  my  soul,  in  my  comfort  and  increase  of 
grace. 

W.  But  it  would  be  sin  in  me,  to  go  because 


140  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

that  which  is  a  duty,  and  would  be  food  unto 
another,  might  be  a  sin  and  poison  unto  me,  for 
I  am  not  fit  for  such  an  ordinance. 

S.  If  you  be  not  fit,  that  is  your  sin. 

W.  Then  my  case  is  miserable  indeed.  If  I 
do  not  come,  I  sin,  and  if  I  ,be  unfit  and  come,  I 
sin.  Alas  that  I  am  under  this  necessity  of  sin- 
ning !  Tell  me  then,  what  I  must  do  ? 

S.  You  must  not  abide  in  that  condition, 
wherein  you  are  unfit  for  the  supper  of  the  Lord, 
but  prepare  yourself  and  come. 

W.  Truly  no  one  will  pity  my  pining  soul,  that 
hath  food  before  it,  and  yet  unworthy  to  meddle 
with  it. 

S.  A  legal  worthiness  you  cannot  have,  nei- 
ther doth  God  expect  it  at  your  hands  ;  but  an 
evangelical  worthiness  you  may  have. 

W.  I  would  fain  know  what  I  may  do  in 
reference  to  this  ordinance.  I  pray  you  tell  me, 
when  is  a  person  said  to  be  worthy  in  a  gospel- 
sense  ? 

S.  When  he  is  clothed  with  the  righteousness 
of  Christ,  hath  his  soul  sanctified  by  divine  grace, 
and  exercises  such  grace  at  the  Lord's  Supper. 

W.  Then  I  perceive  that  a  man  might  be  a 
sinner,  and  yet  a  worthy  receiver  I 

S.  Yes.  " 

W.  What,  a  great  sinner  too  ? 

S.  Yes  he  may. 

W.  This  is  some  support  to  my  frinting 
soul :  But  yet  my  soul  is  east  down  w  ithin  me, 
for  1  doubt  I  am  not  one  of  those  sinners  that 
vou  mean. 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.      141 

S.  It  grieves  me  to  see  you  in  this  distress  of 
spirit,  I  am  persuaded,  that  if  you  would  go  un- 
to this  ordinance,  you  would  in  time  hear  God 
speaking  peace  and  comfort  to  your  soul. 

W.  My  desires  and  my  fears  are  such,  I 
know  not  which  exceeds.  Fain  I  would,  but  I 
dare  not.  It  is  grief  unto  my  soul,  when  I  see 
the  children  of  God  approach  unto  the  Father's 
table,  and  I  absent  myself,  as  though  not  of  his 
family  ;  but  I  am  such  a  sinner,  that  I  dare  not 
go  ? 

S.  Why,  what  is  there  in  your  guilt  that  ex- 
cludes you  more  than  other  sinners. 

W.   I  am  the  chief  of  sinners. 

S.  So  was  Paul  in  his  own  esteem,  but  Christ 
came  to  save  such,  *,  God's  mercy  and  pro^ 
mise,  and  Christ's  merits  are  as  great,  yea.  grea- 
ter than  your  sins,  f  You  have  not  been  a 
greater  sinner  than  Adam,  or  Manasseh,  J  or 
Mary  Magdalene.  $  you  have  not  committed 
more  sins  than  all  the  sins  of  all  the  elect  of 
God  in  all  the  ages  of  the  world  amount  unto  : 
and  God  will  pardon  all  these.  How  can  your  sins 
be  too  great  for  pardoning  mercy  ? 

W.  It  does  appear  that  neither  the  greatness, 
nor  the  number  of  sinners'  abominations  shall 
keep  mercy  from  them;  yet  these  had  their 
hearts  of  stone  turned  into  hearts  of  flesh  ;  but 
my  heart  is  hard,  like  an  adamant.  It  must  be  a 
broken  heart,  that  can  behold  a  broken  Christ 


*   1  Tim.  i.  10.       f  Psal.  ciii.  12.    Matth.  xii.  31.        }  2  Cbrc- 
til.  1.  to  the  14         «  Luke  vii.  37,  3^>. 


142.  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

in  the  sacrament.    Thus  my  case  differs  from 
theirs. 

S.  Sense,  of  hardness  of  heart,  is  some  de- 
gree of  softness  of  heart,  *  Pharaoh  complained 
of  his  judgments,  not  of  the  hardness  of  his 
heart.  Are  you  sensible,  and  do  you  grieve  for 
the  hardness  of  your  heart,  or  do  you  not  ?  If 
you  do  not,  why  then  do  you  complain  ?  If  you 
do,  your  hardness  is  not  the  hardness  that  ob- 
tains in  reprobates :  but  such  as  may  be,  and  is  in 
the  people  of  God :  And  this  sacrament  is  a 
means  to  have  it  softened. 

W.  This  gives  me  some  relief.  I  pray  you 
proceed  to  discover  in  what  things  hardness  in 
a  child  of  God,  differs  from  the  hardness  that  is 
in  a  wicked  man  ? 

S.  Sense  of  sin,  and  of  God's  dishonour,  a 
judging  of  yourself  for  sin,  unfeigned  turning 
from  sin,  earnest  prayers  for  softening  grace,  a 
desire  to  cast  yourself  upon  Christ,  tenderness 
of  conscience,  and  holy  fear  of  sinning  against 
God,  holy  care  to  please  him,  teachableness  of 
heart,  and. holy  restlesness  till  you  have  Christ, 
do  distinguish  your  hardness  from  the  hardness 
of  heart  in  a  wicked  man. 

W.  How  else  ? 

S.  Your  hardness  is  occasional,  not  constant  ;: 
the  hardness  of  a  reprobate,  is  like  that  of  a  stone, 
but  your  hardness,  is  like  the  hardness  of  ice, 
that  is  dissolved  by  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

W.  But  if  I  had  a  heart  of  flesh,   I  do  not. 


*   r:aif.h.  !x*:ii  17, 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSID-ERLD.       143 

think  there  would  be  so  much  hardness  remain- 
ing in  me  more  than  others. 

S.  God  cures  the  hardness  of  his  people's  hearts 
in  their  conversion,  effectually  :  in  sanctification, 
gradually  ;  and  at  their  dissolution,  perfectly  ; 
but  not  till  then. 

W.  This  proves  my  hardness  to  be  more 
than  the  hardness  of  God's  people,  because  I 
mourn  not  for  my  sin  as  they  do,  nor  can  I  be 
so  deeply  humbled  for  it,  and  what  should  I  do 
at  the  Sacrament,  if  I  cannot  mourn  for  sin  ? 

S.  You  imitate  those  that  mourn  for  sin.  But 
your  conclusion  is  incorrect,  that  you  mourn 
not  truly,  nor  at  all,  because  you  mourn  not  con- 
stantly, or  as  much  as  others  do.  The  word  of 
God,  and  not  the  attainments  of  others,  must  be 
the  rule  by  which  you  ought  to  judge  of  the 
truth  of  your  mourning  for  sin.  Besides,  if  you 
do  not  mourn  directly,  you  mourn  reflectively  ; 
you  mourn  that  you  cannot  mourn,  and  you 
pray  that  you  may  mourn.  Besides,  it  is  not 
your  tears  that  can  justify  you  in  the  sight  of 
God  :  for  if  you  could  mourn  more  than  any, 
yet  you  must  be  justified  freely  by  the  blood  of 
Christ,  and  so  you  will,  when  you  mourn  truly, 
though  less  than  some  others  do. 

W.  If  it  be  so,  then  tell  me  when  my  mourn- 
ing for  sin  is  right,  and  the  mourning  of  a  true 
penitent  I 

S.  When  you  mourn  for  sin  as  sin  ;  for  all 
-iin,  because  it  is  against  God  ;  *  as  an  evil 
greater  than  any  affliction. f    Paul  never  cried 

•  Psal.  v.  4.  .f  Rom.  vii.  4. 


144  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,    AND 

out  for  the  evil  of  affliction,  as  he  did  for  the 
evil  of  sin  :  when  you  rejoice  in  the  law  of  God, 
that  doth  discover  it ;  and  bless  God  that  he  ever 
wrote  it,  and  that  you  ever  knew  it.*  When 
your  mourning  for  sin  makes  you  loath  it,  and 
leave  it,  and  prize  Christ,  and  hasten  to  him, 
and  close  with  him. 

W.  I  fear  my  mourning  for  my  sin  ariseth 
from  the  fear  of  hell  ? 

S.  You  may  quicken  your  heart  to  mourn 
for  sin,  from  the  torments  of  hell,  that  it  hath 
deserved ;  but  that  this  is  not  the  principal 
ground  of  your  mourning  appears,  because  you 
can  mourn  and  grieve  for  other  men's  sins,  as 
well  as  your  own.  Also  when  you  have  no 
thoughts  of  hell,  but  you  have  die  strongest 
persuasion  of  God's  mercy  to  you,  in  saving 
you  from  wrath  to  come,  you  mourn  most  : 
and  you  mourn  for  the  power  and  filth  of  sinr 
being  part  of  your  misery  thereby,  and  are  will- 
ing to  accept  of  Christ  for  your  Lord,  as  well 
as  for  your  Saviour. 

W.  I  do  not  deny  it  to  be  thus  with  me,  that 
I  am  willing  to  accept  of  Christ  upon  any  terms. 
Let  me  have  Christ  upon  any  terms.  But  1  fear 
Christ  is  not  willing  to  give  himself,  nor  God 
willing  to  give  his  Son  for  such  an  one  as  I :  and 
what  should  1  do  at  the  sacrament,  if  Christ  be 
not  willing  to  give  himself,  and  his  benefits  un- 
to me? 

S.  Is  it  possible  you  should  be  willing  to  re- 
ceive Christ,  if  Christ  were  not  willing  to  give 

•  Rom.  vii.  12. 


EXCUSES   I  OK  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.         145 

himself  to  you  ?  for  you  could  not  be  willing,  if 
Christ  hud  not  first  been  willing  :  and  it  is  the 
intolerable  pride  of  your  heart,  to  think  you  can 
be  more  willing  to  be,  and  receive  good,  than 
God  and  Christ  is  to  give,  and  make  you  good. 
Besides,  then  such  an  one  may  come,  and  plead 
at  the  last  day,  Lord,  I  am  not  damned,  because 
I  was  not  willing  to  accept  of  Christ ;  but  be- 
cause thou  wouldest  not  give  Christ  to  me, 
when  I  was  willing  to  receive  him. 

W.  Truly  1  think  there  shall  be  no  such  plea 
at  the  day  of  judgment. 

S.  Then  vour  condition  is  q;ood,  if  vou  be 
willing;  for  if  you  be  willing  to  receive  Christ, 
and  God  be  willing  to  give  him  unto  you,  you 
have  him  :  will  you  not  then  go  to  commemo- 
rate his  death  \ 

W.  What  strange  conviction  is  this  ?  Surely 
I  had  Christ,  and  did  not  know  it ;  1  was  hap- 
py, and  did  not  perceive  it.  But  alas!  no  sooner 
do  I  perceive  a  little  light  to  shine  into  my  sou], 
than  it  is  clouded  ;  for  my  heart  is  deceitful, 
and  I  may  think  I  am  willing  when  I  am  not  ? 

S.  I  discern  you  will  now  suspect,  th.it  you 
yourself  are  unwilling,  rather  than  that  Goa  is 
not  willing,  and  this  you  have  more  reason  to 
do  :  but  though  your  heart  be  so  deceitful,  that 
you  cannot  understand  ail  the  particular  sinful 
actings  of  it ;  yet  by  serious  search,  and  prayer 
unto  God,  you  may  know  Uuat  it  is  thai}  on  do 
love,  desire,  and  choose  above  all  things  in  the 
world,  and  what  is  the  general  bent  and  inclina- 
tion of  vour  heart  and  will. 


146  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

W.  I  do  not  know  my  heart. 

S.  What  would  you  ask  of  God,  if  he  should 
say,  ask  any  one  thing,  and  thou  shalt  have  it  ? 

W.  Christ,  I  think  ;  but  still  I  am  afraid  lest 
this  should  be  from  love  unto  myself,  and  not 
unto  the  person  of  Christ. 

S.  An  holy  self-love  you  ought  to  have,  and 
that  is  not  inconsistent  with  predominant  love 
to  the  person  of  Christ. 

W.  How  may  I  know  that  it  is  an  innocent 
self-love  which  moveth  me  to  be  willing  to  ac- 
cept of  Christ  ? 

S.  If  you  desire  Christ  to  make  you  holy,  as 
well  as  to  make  you  happy,  and  to  free  you 
from  the  power  and  dominion,  as  well  as  from 
the  punishment  and  damnation  of  your  sin. 

W.  If  there  were  no  hell,  yet  I  wish  not  to 
sin  against  the  Lord. 

S.  You  have  made  an  answer  to  your  own 
inquiry. 

W.  But  if  I  had  been  willing  to  accept  of 
Christ,  to  destroy  the  power  of  sin,  it  would  not 
have  been  so  strong  as  yet  it  is,  and  the  power 
of  sin  makes  me  question  the  truth  of  grace. 

S.  Strength  of  sin  might  argue  weakness  of 
grace,  but  not  the  nullity  of  it  ;  because  sin  may 
rage,  when  it  doth  not  reign. 

W.  That  I  desire  to  understand ;  for  if  sin 
reign,  you  will  say  I  must  not  go  I 

8.  True,  but  if  you  can  say  with  Paul,* 
u  That  which  1  do,  I  allow  not:  for  what  I  would, 
"  that  I  do  not ;  but  what  I  hate,  that  do  I.    For 


Rom.  vii.  15. 


EXCUSES  FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.   147 

the  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not :  but  the  evil 
which  I  would  not,  that  I  do.  You  may  then 
conclude  with  him,  Now,  if  I  do  that  which  I 
would  not,  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  sin  that 
dwelleth  (he  saith  not  reigneth)  in  me.  And  if 
it  rages,  when  it  doth  not  reign,  you  have  the 
more  need  to  go  unto  the  Lord's  Supper,  that 
sin,  this  usurping  tyrant  (not  your  acknowledg- 
ed Lord)  may  be  thrown  down. 

W.  But  sin  hath  great  power  in  my  thoughts, 
for  not  only  vain,  but  blasphemous  thoughts, 
are  frequently  crowding  into  my  mind,  and  I 
cannot  remove  them. 

S.  That  temptations  have  power  over  your 
thoughts,  is  your  sin ;  but  that  they  have  not 
such  power  over  your  will,  that  proves  your 
grace ;  for  you  would  remove  them  when  you 
cannot ;  and  whether  they  be  injected  by  the  de- 
vil, or  do  arise  from  your  own  heart,  if  grieved 
for,  groaned  under,  and  striven  against,  it  is  no 
otherwise  with  you,  than  with  many  others  of 
God's  dearest  children. 

W.  I  have  so  long  neglected  Christ,  I  fear 
now  it  is  too  late,  to  what  end  then  should  I  go 
unto  this  ordinance  ? 

S.  Who  told  you  it  was  too  late  ?  where  do 
you  read  it  ?  The  damned  in  hell  might  say  it  is 
too  late,  but  not  you  ;  you  might  have  had  him, 
if  you  would  ;  and  may  have  him,  if  you  will : 
and  have  him  indeed,  if  you  are  willing.  And 
it  is  not  by  what  you  have  been,  but  by  what 
you  are,  and  would  be,  that  you  must  judge  your 
state. 


148  OBLIGATIONS  TO  PARTAKE,  AND 

W.  But  if  the  day  of  grace  be  past  with  me, 
and  the  door  of  mercy  shut  against  me,  it  is  too 
late  ;  how  then  should  I  be  sealed  in  this  ordi- 
nance unto  the  day  of  redemption  ? 

S.  The  day  of  grace  is  not  past  with  him. 
that  would  fain  have  grace  above  all  earthly 
riches,  nor  is  the  door  of  mercy  shut  against 
him,  that  doth  set  open  the  door  of  his  heart  for 
Christ  the  King  of  glory  to  enter  in ;  and  doth 
importunately  pray  for  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit. 

W.  But,  alas!  1  cannot  pray,  how  then  should 
I  receive? 

S.  An  infant  cannot  ask,  yet  crieth  for  the 
breast.  Though  you  cannot  word  your  desires, 
yet  you  can  cry  to  God,  and  nothing  will  satis- 
fy you  but  a  Christ.  Some  may  utter  words  in 
prayer,  and  not  pray,  and  you  may  want  words, 
and  yet  pray  fervently,  acceptably  unto  God  : 
for  prayer  doth  not  consist  in  the  exercise  of 
parts,  memory,  &c.  but  of  grace. 

W.  I  cannot  cry  to  God,  my  eyes  are  dry? 
and  sometimes  cannot  drop  a  tear,  when  I  am 
confessing  my  sin,  though  so  many  and  hein- 
ous. When  others  can  shed  many  tears  for  one 
sin,  I  cannot  shed  one  tear  for  many  sins. 

S.  Is  it  so  with  you  but  sometimes  f  Besides, 
as  there  may  be  tears  in  the  eyes,  when  there  is 
no  sorrow  in  the  heart ;  so  when  your  eyes  are 
dry,  your  heart  may  grieve,  An  hyprocrite,  as 
he  may  have  more  words,  so  he  may  have  more 
tears  in  prayer  than  a  true  child  of  God. 

W.  How  then  may  I  judge  of  my  prayers, 
when  1  want  these  outward  signs  of  sorrow;  &c? 


■EXCUSES  TOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.         14C' 

S.  By  vour  inward  frame  of  mind,  when  you 
cannot  shed  a  tear,  you  feel  your  heart  burden- 
ed with,  and  rising  in  hatred  against  your  sin  ; 
and  when  you  beg  for  Christ  and  grace,  you  find 
your  heart  sincerely  reaching  forth  after  both 
Christ  and  grace. 

W.  I  do  pray  indeed,  and  hear,  that  I  may 
have  Christ,  but  I  doubt  all  this  is  in  hypocrisy: 
and  that  all  my  duties  are  the  service  of  an  hy- 
pocrite :  and  what  did  Judas  get  bv  eating  with 
Christ  ? 

S.  If  you  delight  to  do  a  duty  so,  that  no  man 
might  know  that  you  do  it,  and  that  when  you 
be  with  others  in  a  holy  ordinance,  you  find  you 
had  rather  be  affected,  and  not  seem  to  be  so  to 
others,  than  seem  to  be  affected,  and  not  to  be 
so  before  God,  where  is  your  hypocrisy  I  Be- 
sides, if  you  do  your  dutiesyro/?z  a  right  prin- 
ciple, love  to,  and  fear  of  God  ;  in  a  right  man- 
ner, viz.  humbly,  believingly,  fervently,  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  and  for  a  right  endi  that  you 
may  glorify  God,  have  communion  with  him, 
be  made  more  like  him,  that  you  may  have 
more  love  to  him,  and  more  power  and  strength 
against  your  sin,  you  are  sincere,  and  not  an  hy- 
pocrite in  your  duties. 

W.  But  sometimes  I  find  a  secret  content  in 
my  heart,  that  men  take  notice  of  the  outward 
signs  of  inward  affections,  and  this  when  the  out- 
ward signs  are  more  than  my  inward  affections; 
is  not  that  hypocrisy  ? 

S.  Yes  it  is,  and  much  to  be  lamented  and 
opposed  ;  mourn  so,  if  von  can.  that  none  but 
O" 


loO  OBLIGATIONS    TO  PARTAKL,  AND 

God  might  perceive  it,  except  when  it  might  be 
more  for  the  glory  cf  God,  and  the  edification 
of  another,  that  your  mourning  should  be  mani- 
fested rather  than  concealed. 

W.  May  such  a  duty  then  be  accepted  of 
God,  that  is  done  in  such  hypocrisy  ? 

S.  Such  a  hypocrite,  a  sincere  Christian  may 
sometimes  be,  and  is ;  for  as  there  is  something 
of  unbelief  in  one  that  hath  faith  in  Christ,  and 
something  of  pride  in  one  that  is  humble,  &c. 
so  there  is  something  of  hypocrisy  in  every  o;ie 
that  is  sincere  :  for  in  nothing  are  we  perfect  as 
to  degrees,  while  in  this  life.  Therefore  as  you 
must  not  conclude,  that  your  prayers  and  du- 
ties are  not  accepted  of  God,  because  there  are 
.some  actings  of  unbelief  and  pride  in  them  :  so 
neither  because  there  is  something  of  hypocrisy 
mingled  with  them,  when  the  principle,  man- 
ner, and  end,  in  the  main  are  right. 

W.  I  doubt  whether  the  principle  of  my  du- 
ties be  love  to  God,  or  only  a  natural  conscience; 
and  if  I  should  go  to  the  Sacrament,  but  not 
from  a  principle  of  love,  God  would  not  be 
pleased  with  me  ? 

S.  As  you  tender  your  own  safety,  take  heed, 
that  at  no  time  you  absent  yourself  from  duty, 
against  the  dictates  of  a  sanctified  enlightened 
conscience. 

W.  I  pray  to  God  I  may  not :  but  speak 
unto  my  doubts. 

S.  You  may  perform  duty  from  a  principle  of 
love,  when  it  is  not  from  a  sense  ot  love  ;  when 
a  natural  conscience  is  the  principle,  it  puts  you 


EXCUSES   FOR  NEGLECTING,  CONSIDERED.       15  i 

upon  the  duty,  but  gives  you  no  strength  to  per- 
form the  duty  ;  but  the  Spirit  of  God  does  both. 
Natural  conscience  is  satisfied,  if  the  duty  be 
done  :  but  you  are  not  satisfied,  except  God  be 
enjoyed  in  the  duty.  Natural  conscience  puts 
onto  duty  in  time  of  temporal,  or  for  fear  of 
eternal  punishments ;  but  you  pray,  &c.  that 
you  may  please  God,  have  communion  with 
him,  and  be  delivered  from  the  filth  and  power 
of  sin.  When  natural  conscience  only  is  the 
principle,  a  duty  is  done  with  much  backward- 
ness of  heart,  conscience  drags  the  sinner  to  his 
knees  ;  but  you  love  it,  and  delight  in  duty,  or 
are  grieved  if  you  neglect  it.  When  natural  con- 
science only  is  the  principle,  if  a  man  can  get 
an  excuse  which  will  silence  conscience,  the 
duty  with  gladness  is  omitted :  but  if  you  are 
kept  (though  by  lawful  cause)  from  a  duty,  it  is 
some  grief  and  trouble  to  your  soul ;  and  no- 
thing but  what  is  weighty,  or  judged  by  you  to 
be  duty,  shall  divert  you  from  the  ordinance 
of  God.  Are  you  not  yet  satisfied  in  this,  that 
you  may  go  unto  the  Lord's  Supper? 

W.  I  have  proposed  to  you  the  chief  grounds 
of  my  doubts  and  fears,  and  at  present,  have 
some  hopes  that  God  hath  done  some  special 
work  upon  my  heart  ? 

S.  Then  1  beg  you  will  make  conscience  of 
this  duty,  that  the  work  of  grace  may  be  pro- 
moted, and  carried  on  in  your  soul. 

W.  I  shall  further  consider  of  what  you  have 
said  and  shall  beg  of  Gud  his  holy  Spirit,  to  make 
me  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  (if 
given;  to  me  of  God  ;  arid  if  I  shall  by  further 


152  THE    PREVIOUS 

-searching  of  my  heart,  and  prayer  unto  God  be 
convinced  that  it  is  my  duty,  I  will  no  more  ab- 
sent myself. 

S.  May  the  God  of  heaven  guide  you  to  and 
in  this  work  :  and  smile  upon  your  soul,  when 
you  shall  be  present  at  his  table. 


THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION  IS 
ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  * 

AFTER  we  have  seen  some  account  of  the 
nature  and  design  of  the  Lord's  Supper ; 
the  great  and  indispensable  obligations  which 
all  Christians  are  under  to  partake  of  it ;  and 
have  heard  some  sort  of  answer  made  to  those 
difficulties  and  doubts  with  which  either  pious 
persons  distress  themselves  in  the  prospect  of 
approaching  it,  or  with  which  wicked  and  care- 
jess  men  have  endeavoured  to  lull  their  con- 
sciences asleep,  while  they  continued  in  the  ha- 
bitual neglect  of  so  plain  and  important  a  duty  : 
it  will  now  be  esteemed  needful,  that  I  proceed 
10  shew  what  is  required  of  us  to  enable  us,  in  a 
worthy  manner,  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
The  Apostle's  advice,  in  this  case,  is,  **  Let  a 
"  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of 
u  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup  *." 

The  most  restricted  and  confined  meaning  of 
which  words. is-,  by  some,  taken  to  be,  That  the 

*  From  Duncan's  Devout  Communicant's  Assistant. 
•  1  Cor.  xi.  28. 


IN  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  loo 

Corinthians  should  examine  themselves,  and 
their  conduct  in  partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
by  the  account  which  he  had  just  now  given  of 
the  original  institution  of  it ;  and  thereby  they 
would  see  how  very  different  their  irreverent 
and  indevout,  their  proud,  intemperate,  and  un- 
charitable manner  of  celebrating  it  in  Corinth, 
was  from  the  primary  intent,  and  native  design 
of  eating  tne  Lord's  Supper. 

But,  without  any  violence  done  to  the  words, 
the  holy  Apostle's  exhortation  may,  very  justly., 
be  understood  as  including  much  more  than 
this  :  That  to  prevent  coming  unworthily,  every 
one  should  examine  himseif,  and  rectify  what- 
ever, on  careful  recollection,  he  may  find  amiss, 
that  so  he  might  partake  of  the  Lord's  bupper 
with  comfort. 

A  very  useful  rule,  in  this  case,  would  be, 
for  every  one  calmly  to  read  over  the  ten  co:o- 
mandments  of  God's  law,  and  stop  at  each  of 
them,  attentively  to  hear  the  voice  of  his  o.-.  n 
conscience,  how  far  he  hath  in  thought,  word,  or 
action,  obeyed  that  law.  This  recollection,  ve- 
ry probably,  would  shew  him  what  things  are 
wrongs  that  ought  to  be  amended  :  what  guilt, 
yet  unrepented  of,  needs  to  be  forgiven  ;  and 
what  remains  of  irregular  affections  and  passions, 
that  must  be  rectified  and  set  right.  This  would 
contribute  much  to  make  every  man,  in  the  lign: 
of  the  cross  of  Christ,  acquainted  with  his  own 
sore,  and  the  plague  of  his  own  heart,  and  be 
a  mean  of  making  him  anxious  to  have  them 
healed. 

o     2 


io4<  THE    PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION. 

The  following  questions  seem  to  be  very  na- 
turally  included  in  our  examining  ourselves,  as 
preparatory  to  the  Lord's  Supper. 

1.  We  ought  to  examine,  whether  we  really 
understand  the  nature  and  design  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  ?  which  was  instituted  to  perpetuate  and 
keep  up  the  remembrance  of  the  death  and  snf- 
ferings  of  Christ  till  he  return  to  judgment.  For, 
by  the  bread  broken,  is  represented  his  body, 
that  was  nailed  to  the  cross,  was  pierced  and 
crucified;  and,  by  the  wine  in  the  cup,  his  blood, 
that  was  "  shed  for  many,  for  the  remission  of 
;c  sins." 

This  is  indeed  the  primary  intent  and  native 
design  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  It  is  a  commemo- 
ration of  a  sacrifice  ;  not  a  proper  sacrifice,  in 
any  other  sense,  than  prayers  or  praises  are  call- 
ed spiritual  sacrifices.  It  was  instituted  to  per- 
petuate to  all  generations  the  memory  of  so  im- 
portant and  interesting  an  event  as  the  death  of 
Jesus,  "  the  Son  of  God,  made  a  propitiation 
^  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,"  and  to  pre- 
serve on  the  hearts  of  all  his  followers  an  affec- 
tionate and  grateful  remembrance  of  his  love,. 
as  a  powerful  motive  to  obedience,  till  he  come 
again. 

There  are,  indeed,  other  ends  which  this  or- 
dinance may  promote. — It  affords  us  an  oppor- 
tunity of  renewing  and  ratifying  our  acceptance 
of  the  covenant  of  mercy,  when  we  commemo- 
rate that  blood  by  which  the  gracious  terms  of  it 
were  first  sealed. — It  is  a  means  of  maintaining- 
-ommunion  and  fellowship  among  all  the  follow- 


IS  OitDI.R    10  PATICIPATXON.  tS5 

ers  of  Christ,  as  being  members  of  that  one  bo- 
dy of  which  he  is  the  head ;  "  for  there  is  one 
u  body,  as  there  is  but  one  bread,  whereof  all  are 
M  partakers  *." — By  it,  also,  we  are  made  sha- 
rers of  the  blessings  of  Christ's  purchase  :  Yet, 
commemoration,  doing  this  in  remembrance  of 
Christ,  is  the  original  and  primary  design  of  the 
Lord's  Supper. 

This  part  of  self-examination  is  indispensably 
necessary  to  enable  us  to  communicate  worthi- 
ly. No  man,  with  any  propriety,  can  discharge 
a  duty  which  he  does  not  understand.  No  ser- 
vant can  suitably  perform  a  work  to  his  master 
of  which  he  is  entirely  ignorant.  Neither  can 
any  man  worthily  partake  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per who  is  unacquainted  with  the  nature  and 
design  of  it.  The  Apostle,  therefore,  says, 
the  reason  of  their  eating  and  drinking  un- 
worthily, was  their  not  discerning  the  Lord's 
body  f.  • 

2.  Whether  we  have  a  right  or  title  to  come  to 
the  Lord's  table  ?  A  right  may  either  be  consi- 
dered as  external,  founded  on  a  judgment  of 
charity,  in  the  sight  of  men;  or  internal,  in 
the  approbation  of  our  own  hearts,  in  the  sight 
of  God. 

A  man  who  was  baptized  in  the  faith  of  the 
gospel,  has  all  his  life  adhered  to  this  good  con- 
fession, and  professed  subjection  to  the  laws  of 
Christ,  hath,  in  the  judgment  of  Christian  chari- 
ty, full  claim   to   be  admitted  as  a  disciple  ot 


1  Cor.  x.  IT.  T  1  Cor.xi   29 


iJG  THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION,. 

Christ,  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Where- 
as a  person  who  makes  no  profession  of  his  be- 
lief in  Christ,  has  no  relation  to  him  ;  though  he 
may  have  been  baptized  in  his  name,  yet,  if  he 
has  lived  any  considerable  time  in  the  open 
contempt  of  his  laws,  by  works  he  has  denied 
him  ;  and,  therefore,  without  repentance,  and 
amendment  of  life,  forfeits  his  title  to  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  Lord's  table,  or  to  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

There  is  also  an  internal  right,  or  claim  of 
admission  to  the  Lord's  Supper,  established  by 
the  testimony  of  a  man's  own  conscience,  in  the 
sight  of  God.  For,  he  who  really  believes  the 
gospel  has  the  witness  in  himself;  that  is,  has  a 
proof  of  the  power  of  religion  on  his  own  heart, 
Subduing  the  power  of  sin,  raising,  him  above 
the  world,  and  bringing  him  daily  to  a  greater 
conformity  to  the  image  of  Christ.  By  this  real 
change,  which  is  not  instantaneous,  and  is  not 
equally  clear  to  all  men,  but  is  gradually  promo- 
ted in  our  souls,  *f  we  are  sealed  by  the  Holy 
u  Spirit  to  the  day  of  redemption."  Where  this 
work  is  in  any  good  measure  begun,  it  "  wit— 
*•'  nesseth  with  our  spirits,  that  we  are  the  sons 
of  God." 

Every  one  then,,  who  approaches  to  the  Lord's 
table,  should  ask  himself,  Have  I,  in  the  sight 
of  my  brethren,  a  right  to  be  admitted  to  the 
Lord's  table  ?  or,  Has  my  conversation  before 
men  been  such,  as  would  justly  give  offence,  if 
I  came  to  it?  And  when  Christ  asks  me,  in  the 
prospect  of  the  performance  of  this  duty,  as  he 


IN  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  157 

did  his  Apostle  of  old,  "  Simon,  son  of  Jonas, 
'•'  lovest  thou  me*  ?"  am  I  able  to  answer,  look- 
ing into  my  own  heart,  and  appealing  to  his 
omniscient  eye,  Ci  Lord,  thou  knowest  all 
^  things;  diou  knowest  that  I  love  thee,"  and 
wish  to  approve  myself  to  thee.  The  inward 
calm  approbation  of  a  man's  own  heart,  will 
show  this  right  in  the  most  comfortable  view. 
If  our  hearts,  in  this  case,  approve  of  us,  we  shall 
have  confidence  toward  God,  and  be  able  to  lift 
up  our  faces  before  him. 

3.  What  motives  induce  us  to  partake  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  ?  In  all  moral  duties,,  and  acts  of 
religious  worship,  something  more  is  required 
to  render  them  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God, 
than  the  mere  performance  of  the  external  ac- 
tion. The  Pharisees  prayed,  and  made  great 
noise  about  the  outward  parts  of  religion  ;  but 
all  this  was  done  from  vanity,  to  be  seen  of 
men  :  from  men  verily,  when  they  were  seen 
of  them,  they  had  all  their  reward.  Such  ser- 
vices could  not  be  acceptable  in  the  sight  of 
God. 

God  seeth  not  as  man  seeth  ;  he  judgeth 
righteous  judgment,  and  regardeth  the  heart.  In 
order,  therefore,  to  approach  worthily  to  the 
Lord's  table,  it  is  very  necessary  to  examine  the 
motives  that  induce  us  to  come  to  it  :— Whe- 
ther from  a  sense  of  that  love  and  duty,  which 
we  owe  to  God,  and  as  an  evidence  of  that  re- 
gard and  gratitude    due  to  Christ  the    Son   of 

*  John  xxi.  17\ 


158  THE  PREVIOUS   SELF-EXAMINATION, 

God,  that  we  may  contribute  what  is  in  our 
power  to  preserve  the  memory  of  his  love  to 
generations  yet  to  come  : — That  we  ourselves 
may  be  the  more  established  in  the  faith  of 
Christ ;  our  hearts  and  lives  daily  brought  into 
a  greater  conformity  unto  his  death. — That  be- 
holding ourselves  in  the  view  of  his  cross,  we 
may  be  filled  with  contrition,  and  sorrow  for 
past  sins  :  when  we  look  on  him,  whom  they 
have  pierced,  we  may  renew  our  covenant  en- 
gagements to  forsake  them,  and  live  more  an- 
swerably  to  his  death. — Finally,  that  comme- 
morating the  death  of  Christ,  as  the  alone  pro- 
pitiation for  sin,  and  pleading  forgiveness  from 
God  on  account  of  it,  we  may  have  ground  to 
hope,  that  past  transgressions  shall  be  pardoned, 
and  we  be  washed  from  them,  in  the  fountain 
that  is  opened  to  the  house  of  David,  and  to  the; 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  for  sin  and  for  unclean- 
ness. 

Our  comfort  and  acceptance  with  God  very 
much  depend  on  the  sincerity  of  the  motives 
that  bring  us  to  this  ordinance.  For,  if  a  man 
who  does  not  really  believe  the  gospel,  or  who 
is  living  impenitent  in  sin,  and  has  no  resolution 
to  forsake  it,  should  come  to  the  Lord's  table, 
to  serve  some  worldly  purpose,  to  obtain  some 
reputation  for  religion,  or  because  it  is  the  cus- 
tom of  the  place  where  he  live,s,  perhaps  to  at- 
tach himself  to  some  sect  of  Christians,  and 
gain  the  protection  of  his  party ;  such  a  per- 
son could  not  expect  acceptance  with  God,  as 


IN   ORDER  TO   PARTICIPATION-  159 

he  wants  the  wedding  garment  of  sincerity  and 
truth. 

If*  we  heard  a  man  pray  with  appearance  of 
great  fervency  and  devotion,  or  heard  him  pro- 
fess great  zeal  for  religion  and  his  party,  whom 
we  knew  to  be  dishonest  and  covetous,  intem- 
perate and  cruel,  we  could  not  but  despise  such 
a  man,  and  his  conduct :  or,  if  a  person  should 
profess  great  friendship  for  us,  who,  we  were 
certain,  was  in  secret  our  enemy,  it  would  fill  us 
with  indignation,  instead  of  esteem :  When, 
therefore,  we  raise  our  thoughts  to  God,  who 
seeth  all  things,  and  from  whom  the  secret  pur- 
poses of  the  heart  cannot  be  concealed,  we  must 
certainly  be  persuaded,  that  when  he  seeth  men, 
who  live  in  the  habitual  neglect  of  his  command- 
ments, approach  to  the  holy  table  of  the  Lord, 
from  low  and  base  motives,  with  no  desire  at  all 
to  approve  themselves  to  him,  their  offerings 
must  be  an  abomination  in  his  sight.  How  hap- 
py on  such  an  occasion,  if  a  person  can  say 
with  the  devout  Psalmist,  ••  Examine  me, 
"  O  Lord,  and  prove  me  ;  try  my  reins  and 
'*  my  heart  ;  for  thy  loving  kindness  is  before 
"  mine  eyes  :  I  have  walked  in  thy  truth  *." 

4.  What  sort  of  preparation  do  we  make  to 
enable  us  to  partake  worthily  of  the  Lord's 
Supper '? 

If  God  be  the  Sovereign  Lord,  and  great  ma- 
jesty of  heaven  and  earth,  we  ought,  at  all  times, 
to  approach  him  with  reverence.    The  more  so- 


Psal  xxvi.  2.  3. 


160  THE  PREVIOUS  BELT-EXAMINATION, 

lemn  the  acts  of  worship  in  which  we  are  to  be 
employed,  the  more  attention  and  serious  pre- 
paration of  mind  is  needful,  to  enable  us  to  per- 
form them  in  an  acceptable  manner.  If  a  per- 
son was  to  come  into  the  presence  of  his  supe- 
rior, or  of  his  prince,  upon  some  matter  of  great 
importance,  in  order  to  behave  as  he  ought,  he 
would  endeavour  to  call  in  all  that  attention  and 
presence  of  mind  of  which  he  was  capable. 

When,  therefore,  we  are  to  come  into  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  and,  at  his  holy  table,  to  comme- 
morate the  most  amazing  instance  of  divine  good- 
ness ever  shown  to  the  sons  of  men,  of  which 
also  we  ourselves  profess  to  be  partakers ;  when 
we  are,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  personally  to  co- 
venant and  transact  with  God,  on  matters  of  no 
less  importance  than  the  eternal  salvation  of  our 
souls,  it  well  becometh  us  attentively  to  consi- 
der how  we  are  prepared  for  such  an  approach. 

No  body  can  determine  what  precise  time  is 
necessary  to  prepare  every  man  for  the  Lord's 
Supper  :  that  must,  in  a  great  measure  depend 
on  a  person's  situation  in  the  world,  as  I  for- 
merly observed.  A  man  who  is  just  turning 
from  the  ways  of  sin,  has  to  examine  himself, 
and  repent  of  the  whole  course  of  his  past  life. 
Young  people,  when  they  first  approach  the 
Lord's  table,  to  take  their  baptismal  vows  on 
themselves,  and  ratify,  by  the  consent  of  their 
own  hearts,  what  their  parents  early  did  for  them, 
haVfc  more  to  do,  in  this  view,  than  those  who 
are  holding  on  in  the  ways  of  God,  and  have  for- 
merly  "  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift." 


OROLR  TO   PARTICIPATION*.  IGi 

A  good  life,  or  a  constant  endeavour  to  livo 
answerably  to  the  death  of  Christ,  rs  the  best, 
and  has  been  usually  called  an  habitual  prepara- 
tion for  the  Lord's  Supper.  But,  in  this  light 
also,  every  one  has  something  that  needs  to  be 
set  right,  something  wrong  that  ought  to  be  a- 
mended,  or  wanting  that  needs  to  be  supplied ; 
and  therefore,  some  time,  in  reason,  should  be 
set  apart  for  serious  recollection. 

u : -Christ  gave  himself  for  us,  to  redeem  us 
"  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  to  himself  a  pe- 
"  cuHar  people,  zealous  of  good  works."  The 
first  part  of  preparation,  then,  is  to  consider, 
how  consistent  we  have -lived  with  the  ends  of 
Christ's  death  ;  what  sins  need  to  be  repented 
of:  what  remains  of  guilt  to  be  pardoned,  or 
irregular  passions  to  be  subdued.  Thus  it  is 
needful  to  think  on  our  former  ways. 

By  the  death  of  Christ  also,  the  covenant  of 
grace  and  mercy,  through  which  we  hope  to  be 
saved,  was  at  first  ratified  :  by  our  coming  to 
the  Lord's  table,  we  profess  to  adhere  to  this 
covenant,  and,  on  the  terms  thereof,  plead  ac 
ceptance  with  God.  Very  proper,  therefore,  it 
is,  that  we  consider  how  far  we  have  fulfilled,  or 
come  short  of  the  terms  of  this  covenant.  The 
commemoration  of  the '  death  of  Christ  affords 
an  opportunity  of  renewing  these  engagements, 
and  of  bringing  ourselves  under  new  and  stricter 
obligations  to  perform  them. 

In  the  death  of  Christ,  we  see  a  display  of 
the  divine  goodness,  into  which  the  angels  them- 
selves,  with  earnestness  and  wonder,  desire  to 

P 


162  THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION, 

look  ;  the  Son  of  God  leaving  all  that  glory 
which  he  possessed  in  heaven,  and  coming  to 
earth,  and,  after  a  life  of  sorrows,  and  well  ac- 
quainted with  grief,  submitting  to  an  ignomi- 
nious and  painful  death,  to  save  us  from  eternal 
misery.  Justly  therefore  ought  we  to  stir  up  our 
souls,  and  all  that  is  within  us,  gratefully  to  re- 
member this  unspeakable  gift.  An  ingenuous 
person  would  be  ashamed  to  commemorate  a 
great  obligation  with  indifference.  When  Da- 
vid the  king  called  to  remembrance  the  mer- 
cies of  God  to  himself  and  house,  his  heart  was 
-so  full  of  gratitude,  that  words  could  not  express 
all  that  he  felt ;  so  that  he  was  obliged  to  vent 
himself  in  broken  speeches,  saying,  "  Who  am 
"  I,  O  Lord  God?  and  what  is  my  house,  that 
"  thou  hast  brought  me  hitherto  ?  And  this  was 
**  yet  a  small  thing  in  thy  sight,  O  Lord  God; 
••  but  thou  hast  spoken  also  of  thy  servant's 
"  house  for  a  great  while  to  come:  and  is  this 
l<  the  manner  of  men,  O  Lord  God  ?  And  thou, 
"  Lord,  knowest  thy  servant,  and  vrhat  can  thy 
"  servant  say  more  unto  thee  ?*"  At  other 
times,  "  Be  stirred  up,  O  my  soul,  and  all  that 
"  is  within  me,  to  bless  God. — Awake,  O  psal- 
*'  tery  and  harp,  to  praise  him ;  myself  1  will 
"  awake  early—What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord 
u  for  all  his  benefits  towards  me  ?" 

5.  How  do  I  purpose  to  behave  after  the 
Lord's  Supper  ?  This  question  is  of  great  im- 
portance ;  for  many  imagine,  that  all  that  is  in- 

*  2  Sam.  vii.  18,  19,  20 


IN   ORDER  TO   PARTICIPATION'.  IGo 

tended  by  this  religious  service  is  over  when 
they  depart  from  the  Lord's  table  :  forgetting, 
that  there  they  come  under  new  engagements ; 
afterward  they  must  fulfil  them:  there  they  put 
on  good  resolutions  :  in  time  to  come,  they  must 
reduce  them  to  practice. 

In  whatever  other  light  we  view  the  Lord's 
Supper,  if  we  fail  of  this  purpose,  we  come  short 
of  the  great  end  of  it  For  the  great  design  of 
Christ's  death  and  resurrection  (as  the  apostle 
assures  us)  was,  that  he  might  be  the  Lord  of 
the  dead  and  of  the  living;  t.  e.  that  they  which 
live,  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves, 
but  unto  him  that  died  for  them,  and  rose  again. 
One  principal  design,  therefore,  of  our  Lord's 
Supper  is,  that  the  steady  belief  and  affectionate 
remembrance  of  the  death  of  Christ,  impressed 
on  our  minds,  might  be  a  constant  and  power- 
ful motive  to  love  and  obey  him,  who  loved  us, 
and  gave  himself  to  death  for  us. 

What  will  it  avail  us  to  have  pretended,  be- 
fore our  coming  to  the  Lord's  table,  that  we 
were  sorrowful  and  deeply  humbled  for  our 
sins,  if  afterward  we  return  to  the  practice  of 
them  ?  The  latter  end  of  the  man,  who  after 
some  partial  reformation,  or  some  stated  sea- 
son of  devotion,  returns  to  his  former  sins,  is 
worse  than  the  beginning.  We  can  only  prove 
our  professions  of  love  to  Christ  to  be  sincere, 
and  ourselves  to  be  his  friends,  by  doing  those 
things  which  he  hath  commanded"  us. 

To  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  not  only 
a  duty,  but  also  a  mean  of  grace,  and  of  promo- 


164  TKE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAM  IN ATIONj 

ting  holiness  in  our  hearts  and  lives  :  since  we 
profess,  by  coming  there,  to  be  not  our  own, 
but  bought  with  a  price,  it  is  designed  to  excite 
us  to  glorify  God  in  our  bodies  and  spirits, 
which  are  God's.  A  person,  then,  who  comes 
to  the  Lord's  table  with  no  serious  purpose 
henceforth  to  walk  circumspectly,  or  who  de- 
parts from  it  with  no  endeavour  to  put  this  re-< 
solution  in  practice,  is  little  better  than  he  who 
stays  away  :  he  is  like  the  ground,  that,  being 
often  watered,  bringeth  forth  nothing  but  briars 
and  thorns,  whose  end  is  to  be  burned. 

These  questions,  I  hope,  seriously  proposed 
by  every  person  who  comes  to  the  Lord's  table, 
and  answered  by  his  own  heart,  might  greatly 
contribute  to  enable  us  to  profit  by  the  Sacra- 
ment of  the  Supper.  I  might  have  added  some 
other  useful  questions,  that  might  be  asked, 
with  great  advantage,  in  this  view.    Such  as, 

What  benefit  have  we  reaped  from  the  former 
occasions  on  which  we  partook  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  ?  Wliat  fruit  have  we  brought  forth 
thereby  ? 

How  consistently  have  we  lived  with  the  re- 
solutions which  we  put  on  at  the  Lord's  table, 
of  behaving  ourselves  as  became  the  disciples 
of  Christ  ?  Or,  What  hath  been  the  cause  why 
we  have  not  made  improvement  proportional  to 
what  might  have  been  expected  from  us  ? 

In  what  condition  am  I.  now  to  partake  of  this 
ordinance,  compared  to  what  I  have  formerly 
been  ?   The  Lord  puts  his  people  in  remem- 


IK  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  165 

brance  of  what  they  once  were,  in  order  to  ex- 
cite them  to  diligence  and  watchfulness.  "  I  re- 
"  member  thee,  the  love  of  thine  espousals,  and 
••  the  kindness  of  thy  youth,  when  thou  went- 
••  est  after  me  in  the  wilderness. — Israel  was 
"  holiness  to  the  Lord,  and  the  first  fruits  of  his 
»•'  increase."*  Our  Lord  also  complains  of  the 
church,  that  she  had  left  "  her  first  love."f 

We  should,  therefore,  ask  ourselves,  Do  I 
now  more  carefully  discharge  the  duties  which 
God  requireth  of  me  ?  and  have  I  more  delight 
in  the  performance  of  them  than  formerly  ? 

Do  I  make  conscience  of  my  relative  duties 
in  the  stations  and  offices  in  which  God  hath 
placed  me  ?  and  do  I  perform  them  as  from  the 
heart  ? 

Am  I  able  more  successfully  to  overcome 
the  temptations  of  this  world  ?  to  subdue  pride, 
malice,  or  resentment?  Can  I,  from  the  heart, 
forgive  an  injury  done  to  myself?  and,  have  I 
more  pleasure  now  in  doing  good  offices  to 
others  ? 

Have  I 'any  quarrel  with  any  man  ?  Is  it  not 
my  duty,  in  the  sight  of  God  and  of  his  people; 
to  forgive  him,  ere  I  adventure  to  come  and  of- 
fer my  gift  on  his  altar?  Or,  have  I  done  inju- 
ry to  any  person,  of  whom,  in  the  same  spirit, 
1  ought  to  ask  forgiveness  ? 

As  we  are  all  liable  to  self-deceit,  it  would 
be  a  good  rule  to  begin  this  duty  of  stlf-exami- 
nation  with  the   prayer  of  the  holy  Psalmist : 


Rev. 


106 

"  Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  my  heart :  try 
'•  me,  and  know  my  thoughts  :  and  see  if  there 
"  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the 
"  way  everlasting."*  And,  if  it  were  gone  a- 
bout  with  care  and  attention,  it  would  make 
such  discoveries  of  many  infirmities,  and  trans- 
gressions in  the  sight  of  God,  as  to  induce  us 
to  conclude,  in  the  words  of  the  same  devout 
person,  "  Who  can  understand  his  errors? 
u  cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults  :  keep 
u  back  thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous 
••'  sins."f 

This  necessary  duty  of  self-examination 
should  by  no  means  be  so  understood,  as  re- 
stricted to  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  never  prac- 
ticed but  with  a  view  to  that  institution.  For 
1:0  office  of  religion  is  more  really  beneficial,  or 
better  calculated  to  promote  our  progress  in  the 
Christian  life.  The  frequent  exercise  of  this  du- 
ty would  produce  very  salutary  and  comfortable 
effects  on  those  who  are  employed  in  it.  For, 
when  we  thus  make  diligent  search,  we  will 
see  what  things  are  amiss  in  us  that  need  to  be 
amended  :  when  we  commune  with  our  own 
hearts,  we  will  find  out  what  is  our  infirmity  ; 
and  to  be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  dis- 
ease, goes  a  great  way  to  lead  us  to  the  cure. 
On  inquiry  also,  the  answer  of  a  good  con- 
science towards  God  will  afford  us  solid  ground 
of  continual  rejoicing. 


•   V^.rr)  csxxix.  03,  C4.  \   Psahn  xix.  12,  13, 


IN  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  167 

*  THIS  duty  of  preparation  may  be  reduced  to 
these  four  heads,  meditation,  examination,  sup- 
plication, expectation.  And  if  I  mistake  not,  they 
are  all  given  us  in  one  verse;  and  though  not  di- 
rectly applied  to  this  ordinance,  yet  to  this  among 
other  ways  of  our  intimate  communion  with 
Christ :  t  "I  will  pour  upon  the  house  of  Da- 
N  vid,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem, 
11  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplications,  and 
"  they  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  have 
"  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn  for  him,  as  one 
"  mourneth  for  his  only  son.  and  shall  be  in 
"  bitterness  for  him,  as  one  that  is  in  bitterness 
11  for  his  first  born."  There  is  (1. )  Meditation : 
they  shall  look  upon  him  ;  this  is  no  otherwise 
to  be  performed  but  by  the  meditation  of  faith. 
Our  looking  upon  Christ  is  by  believing  medi- 
tation. Looking  argues  the  fixing  of  the  sight; 
and  meditation  is  the  fixing  of  faith  in  its  act- 
ings. Looking  is  a  fixing  of  the  eye ;  faith  is 
the  eye  of  the  soul ;  and  to  look  is  to  fix  faith 
in  meditation.  And  there  is  (2.)  Examination, 
which  produceth  the  mourning  here  mentioned. 
For  though  it  is  said,  They  shall  mourn  for  him  ; 
it  was  not  to  mourn  for  his  sufferings ;  for  so 
he  said,  "  Weep  not  for  me  ;"  but  to  mourn 
upon  the  account  of  those  things  wherein  they 
were  concerned  in  his  sufferings.  It  brings  to 
repentance  ;  which  is  the  principal  design  of 
this  examination.  (3.)  There  is  Supplication  ; 
for  there  shall  be  poured  out  a  spirit  of  grace 

*  From  Dr.  Owen's  Discourses  on  the  Lord's  Supper. 
■I  Zech.  xii.  10. 


168  THE  PREVIOUS  SELi -EXAMINATION, 

and  supplication.  And  (4.)  there  is  Expecta- 
tion ;  which  is  included  also  in  that  of  looking 
unto  Christ. 

1 .  The  first  part  of  this  duty  of  preparation  con- 
sists in  meditation :  and  meditation  is  a  duty,  in 
which  by  reason  of  the  vanity  of  our  own  minds, 
and  the  variety  of  objects  which  they  are  apt  to 
fix  upon,  even  believers  themselves  do  find  as 
great  a  difficulty  as  any. 

I  shall  only  mention  those  special  objects 
which  our  thoughts  are  to  be  fixed  upon  in  this 
preparatory  duty  ;  and  you  may  reduce  them  to 
the  following  heads. 

(1.)  The  principal  object  of  meditation  in  our 
preparation  for  this  ordinance,  is  the  horrible 
guilt  and  provocation  that  is  in  sin.  There  is  a 
representation  of  the  guilt  of  sin  made  in  the 
cross  of  Christ.  There  was  a  great  representa- 
tion of  it  in  the  punishment  of  angels  ;  a  great 
representation  of  it  is  made  in  the  destruction  of 
Scdom  and  Gomorrah ;  and  both  these  are  pro- 
posed unto  us  in  a  special  manner,*  to  set  forth 
the  heinous  nature  of  the  guilt  of  sin  ;  but  they 
come  very  short,  nay,  give  me  leave  to  say,  that 
hell  itself  comes  short  of  representing  the  guilt 
of  sin,  in  comparison  of  the  cross  of  Christ. 
And  the  Holy  Ghost  would  have  us  mind  it, 
where  he  suith,  "  He  was  made  sin  for  us."f 
See  what  comes  of  sin,  saith  he,  what  demerit, 
what  provocation  there  is  in  it ;  to  see  the  Son 
of  God  praying,  crying,  trembling,  bleeding, 

'  2  Pet.  u.  45  5,5.  |  2  Cor.  v.  ?.l. 


IX   ORDER  TO    PARTICIPATION.  169 

dying,  God  hiding  his  face  from  him  ;  the  earth 
trembling  under  him  ;  darkness  round  about 
him ;  how  can  the  soul  but  cry  out,  O  Lord  is 
this  the  effect  of  sin  !  is  all  this  in  sin  !  Here 
then  take  a  view  of  sin.  Others  look  on  it  in 
its  pleasures  and  the  advantages  of  it ;  and  cr}', 
Is  it  not  a  little  one  ?  as  Lot  of  Zoar.  But  look 
on  it  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  there  it  appears 
in  another  hue.  All  this  is  from  my  sin,  saith 
the  contrite  soul. 

(2.)  The  purity,  the  holiness,  and  the  severity 
of  God,  that  would  not  pass  by  sin,  when  it  was 
charged  upon  his  Son.  "He  set  him  forth  to 
"  declare  his  righteousness."*  As  there  was  a 
representation  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  so  there  was 
an  everlasting  representation  of  the  holiness  and 
righteousness  of  God  in  the  cross  of  Jesus  Christ. 
He  spared  him  not.  And  may  the  soul  say,  Is 
God  thus  holy  in  his  nature,  thus  severe  in  the 
execution  of  his  wrath,  so  to  punish,  and  so  to 
revenge  sin,  when  his  Son  undertook  to  answer 
for  it  ?  How  dreadful  is  this  God  !  how  glori- 
ous !  what  a  consuming  fire  !  It  is  that  which 
will  make  sinners  in  Zion  crv,  "  Who  anions 
u  us  shall  dwell  with  the  devouring  fire*?  who 
'<  among  us  shall  dwell  with  everlasting  burn- 
"  ings  V-\  Consider  the  holiness  and  the  severi- 
ty of  God  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  it  will 
make  the  soul  look  about  him,  how  to  appear 
in  the  presence  of  that  God. 

(3.)  Would  you  have  another  object  of  your 


Rom.  iii.  25.  f  Isa.  xxxiii.  H. 


1T0  THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION, 

meditation  in  this  matter ;  let  it  be  the  infinite 
wisdom  and  the  infinite  love  of  God  that  found 
out  this  way  of  glorifying  his  holiness  and  jus- 
tice, and  dealing  with  sin  according  to  its  de- 
merit. "  God  so  loved  the  world,  as  to  send 
"  his  only  begotten  Son.*  And  herein  is  love, 
"  love  indeed  !  that  God  sent  his  Son  to  die  for 
"  for  us."f  And  the  apostle  J  lays  it  upon  the 
manifold  wisdom  of  God.  Bring  forth  your 
faith  ;  be  your  faith  ne  *^r  so  weak,  never  so  lit- 
tle a  reality,  do  but  realize  it:  and  do  not  let 
common  thoughts  and  notions  take  up  and  pos- 
sess your  spirits  :  here  is  a  glorious  object  for 
it  to  work  upon,  to  consider  the  infinite  wisdom 
and  love  that  found  out  this  way.  It  was  out 
of  love  unsearchable.  And  now  what  may  not 
my  poor  sinful  soul  expect  from  this  love  ?  what 
difficulties  can  I  be  entangled  in,  but  this  wis- 
dom can  disentangle  me  ?  and  what  distempers 
can  I  be  under,  but  this  love  may  heal  and  re- 
cover ?  There  is  hope  then,  saith  the  soul,  in 
preparation  for  these  things. 

(4.)  Let  the  infinite  love  of  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self be  also  at  such  a  season  had  in  remem- 
brance. "  Who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for 
"  me."|  "  Who  loved  us.  and  washed  us  in 
"  his  own  blood."  II  "  Who,  when  he  was  in 
u  the  form  of  God,  and  thought  it  no  robbery 
u  to  be  equal  with  God,  humbled  himself,  and 
u  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death 
"■  of  the  cross."^"  "  This  was  the  grace  Of  our 


*  John  iii.  16.         t  1  J<>hn  iv-  10  X  EPh-  »"•  10.         &  Ga! 

iii.  10.        I!  Rev.  i.  5.        1  Phil.  ii.  6, 7,  8. 


IN  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  171 

c*  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  though  he  was  rich, 
••  yet  for  your  sakes  he  became  poor,  that  ye 
"  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich."$  The  all- 
conqueriug  and  all  endearing  love  of  Christ,  is 
a  blessed  preparative  meditation  for  this  great 
ordinance. 

(5.)  There  is  the  end,  what  all  this  came  to  ; 
this  guilt  of  sin,  this  holiness  of  God,  this  wis- 
dom of  grace,  this  love  of  Christ ;  what  did  all 
this  come  to  ?  Let  the  apostle  tells  us,  "  He 
u  hath  made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his 
u  cross."f  The  end  of  it  all  was  to  make  peace 
between  God  and  us ;  and  this  undertaking  is- 
sued in  his  blood,  that  was  able  to  do  it,  and 
nothing  else  ;  yea,  that  hath  done  it.  It  is  a  very 
hard  thing  for  a  soul  to  believe,  that  there  is 
peace  made  with  God  for  him,  and  for  his  sin ; 
but  really  trace  it  through  these  steps,  and  it 
will  give  a  great  deal  of  strength  to  faith.  De- 
rive it  from  the  lowest,  the  deepest  pit  of  the 
guilt  of  sin  ;  carry  it  into  the  presence  of  the 
severity  of  God,  and  so  bring  it  to  the  love  of 
Christ;  and  the  issue  which  the  scriptures  testi- 
fy of  all  these  things  was,  to  make  peace  and 
reconciliation. 

Some  may  say,  that  they  would  willingly 
meditate  upon  these  things,  but  they  cannot  re- 
member them,  they  cannot  retain  them,  and  it 
would  be  long  work  to  go  through  and  think  of 
them  all ;  and  such  as  they  have  not  strength 
and  season  for. 


Cor.  vlii.  9.  f  Co1-  »•  20- 


%72  THE  PREVIOUS  SEEF-EXAMINATI-ON, 

I  answer  1.  My  intention  is  not  to  burden 
your  memory,  or  your  practice,  but  to  help 
your  faith.  I  do  not  prescribe  these  things  as  all 
of  them  necessary  to  be  gone  through  in  even- 
duty  of  preparation  ;  but  you  all  know,  they  are 
such  as  may  be  used,  every  one  of  them  singly 
in  the  duty  ;  though  they  that  would  go  through 
them  all  again  and  again,  would  be  no  losers  by 
it,  but  will  find  something  that  wall  be  food  and 
refreshment  for  their  souls.   But, 

[2.]  Let  your  peculiar  meditation  be  regula- 
ted by  your  peculiar  present  condition.  Sup- 
pose, for  instance,  the  soul  is  pressed  with  a 
sense  of  the  guilt  of  -any  sin,  or  of  many  sins ; 
let  the  preparative  meditation  be  fixed  upon  the 
grace  of  God.  and  upon  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ, 
which  are  suited  to  give  relief  unto  the  soul  in 
such  a  condition. — Is  the  soul  burdened  with 
an  insensibility  of  sin  ?  doth  it  not  find  itself  so 
sensible  of  sin  as  it  would  be ;  but  rather  that  it 
can  entertain  slight  thoughts  of  sin  ?  let  medita- 
tion be  principally  directed  unto  the  great  guilt 
of  sin  as  represented  in  the  death  and  cross  of 
Christ,  and  to  the  severity  of  God  as  there  re- 
presented. Other  things  may  lay  hold  on  our 
carnal  affections ;  but  if  this  lay  not  hold  upon 
faith,  nothing  will. 

I  have  one  rule  more  in  these  meditations; 
doth  any  thing  fall  in,  that  doth  peculiarly  affect 
your  spirits,  as  to  that  regard  which  you  have 
to  God "?  Set  it  down.  Most  Christians  are  poor 
in  experience  ;  they  have  no  stock  :  they  have 
not  laid  up  any  thing  for  a  dear  year  or  a  hard 


IN  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  i73 

lime :  though  they  may  have  had  many  tokens 
for  good,  yet  they  have  forgotten  them.  When 
your  hearts  are  raised  by  intercourse  between 
God  and  yourselves  in  the  performance  of  this 
duty,  be  at  pains  to  set  them  down  for  your  own 
use  ;  if  any  thing  do  immediately  affect  your 
spirits  you  will  be  no  loser  by  it ;  it  is  as  easy 
a  way  to  grow  rich  in  spiritual  experiences  as 
any  I  know.— This  is  the  part  of  this  duty  of 
preparation,  which,  with  the  rules  given,  may 
be  constantly  so  observed,  as  to  be  no  way  bur- 
densome nor  wearisome  to  you  ;  but  very  much 
to  your  advantage.  The  other  duties  I  shall  but 
name,  and  so  have  done. 

2.  There  is  examination.  Examination  is  the 
duty  which  most  have  commonly  spoke  unto, 
that  have  treated  any  thing  about  preparation 
for  this  ordinance.  It  respects  principally  two 
things,  viz.  Repentance  and  Faith. 

Our  examination  as  to  repentance,  as  far  as 
it  concerns  preparation  unto  this  duty,  may  be 
referred  to  three  heads. 

[l.j  To  call  ourselves  to  account,  whether 
indeed  we  have  habitually  that  mourning  frame 
of  spirit  upon  us>  which  is  required  in  them 
who  converse  with  God  in  the  cross  of  Jesus 
Christ.  t6  They  shall  look  upon  him  whom  they 
have  pierced,  and  mourn."  There  is  an  habitual 
mourning  frame  of  spirit  required  in  us;  and 
we  may  do  well  to  search  ourselves  about  it, 
whether  it  is  maintained  and  kept  up,  or  no  ? 
whether  worldly  security  and  carnal  joys  rlo  not 


£74  THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAM  INATIOX, 

devour  it?  For  spiritual  joys  will  not  do  it. 
Spiritual  joys  will  take  off  nothing  from  spiritual 
mourning^  but  worldly  security,  and  carnal  joy 
and  pleasures  will  devour  that  frame  of  spirit 

[2.]  Our  examination  as  to  repentance  res- 
pects actual  sins,  especially  as  for  those,  who  have 
the  privilege  and  advantage  of  frequent  and  or- 
dinary participation  of  this  ordinance.  It  respects 
the  surprisals  that  have  befallen  us,  (as  there  is 
no  man  that  doth  good  and  sinneth  not,)  since 
we  received  the  last  pledge  of  the  love  of  God 
in  the  administration  of  that  ordinance.  Friends, 
let  us  not  be  afraid  of  calling  ourselves  to  a  strict 
account.  We  have  to  do  with  him  that  is  greater 
than  we,  and  knoweth  all  things.  Let  us  not  be 
afraid  to  look  into  the  book  of  conscience  and 
conversation,  to  look  over  our  surprisals,  our 
neglects,  our  sinful  failings  and  miscarriages. 
These  things  belong  to  this  preparation,  to  look 
over  them,  and  mourn  over  them  also.  I  would 
not  be  thought  to  myself  or  you  to  prescribe  an 
hard  burden  in  this  duty  of  preparation.  It  is 
nothing  but  what  God  expects  from  us,  and 
what  we  must  do  if  we  intend  any  communion 
with  him  in  this  ordinance.    I  may  add, 

£3.]  Whether  Ave  have  kept  alive  our  last  re- 
ceived pledges  of  the  love  of  God  ?  It  may  be 
at  an  ordinance  we  have  received  some  special 
intimations  of  the  good  will  of  God.  It  is  our 
duty  to  keep  them  alive  in  our  spirits ;  and  let 
us  never  be  afraid  we  shall  have  no  room  for 
more.  The  keeping  of  them  makes  way  for  what 
farther  is  to  come.    Have  we  lost  such  sensible 


IN'  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  1  i* J 

impressions  ?  there  is  then  matter  for  repentance 
and  humiliation. 

Examination  also  concerns  faith  :  and  that 
In  general  and  in  particular.  In  general :  Is 
not  my  heart  hypocritical  ?  or  do  I  really  do 
what  in  this  ordinance  I  profess  ?  which  is  pla- 
cing all  my  faith  and  hope  in  Jesus  Christ  for 
life,  mercy,  salvation,  and  for  peace  with  God. 
And  in  particular,  Do  I  stir  up  and  act  faith  to 
meet  Christ  in  this  ordinance  ?  I  shall  not  en 
large  upon  these  things  that  are  commonly  spo- 
ken unto. 

The  third  part  of  our  preparation,  is  sup., 
plication  :  that  is  adding  prayer  to  this  meditu 
tion  and  examination.  Add  prayer,  which  ma\ 
inlay  and  digest  all  the  rest  in  the  soul.  Pray 
over  what  we  have  thought  on,  what  we  have 
conceived,  what  we  have  apprehended,  what  we 
desire,  and  what  we  fear  :  gather  all  up  into  sup- 
plications to  God. 

There  belongs  unto  this  duty,  expecta- 
tion also;  that  is,  to  expect  that  God  will  an- 
swer his  promise,  and  meet  us  according  to  the 
desire  of  our  hearts.  We  should  look  to  meet 
God,  because  he  hath  promised  to  meet  us  there ; 
and  we  go  upon  his  promise  of  grace,  expect- 
ing he  will  answer  his  word  and  meet  us.  Not 
going  at  all  adventures,  as  not  knowing  whether 
we  shall  find  him  or  not ;  God  may  indeed  then 
surprise  us,  as  he  did  Jacob  when  he  appeared 
unto  him,  and  made  him  say,  "  God  is  in  this 
u  place,  and  I  knew  it  not."  But  we  go  where 
we  know  God  is.    He  hath  placed  his  name  up- 


1-76  THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION, 

on  his  ordinances,  and  there  he  is  ;  go  to  them 
with  expectation,  and  rise  from  the  rest  of  the 
duties  with  this  expectation. 

This  is  the  substance  of  what  might  be  of 
use  to  some  in  reference  unto  this  duty  of  pre- 
paration for  this  great  and  solemn  ordinance, 
which  God  hath  graciously  given  unto  any  of 
you  the  privilege  to  be  made  partakers  of. 

Have  we  failed  in  these  things,  or  in  things  of 
a  like  nature  ?  Let  us  admire  the  infinite  pa- 
tience of  God,  that  hath  borne  with  us  all  this 
while,  that  he  hath  not  cast  us  out  of  his  house, 
ihat  he  hath  not  deprived  us  of  these  enjoyments, 
which  he  might  justly  have  done,  when  we  have 
oo  undervalued  them,  as  far  as  lay  in  us,  and 
despised  them  ;  when  we  have  had  so  little  care 
to  make  entertainment  for  the  receiving  of  the 
great  God  and  our  Lcrd  Jesus  Christ,  who  comes 
10  visit  us  in  tins  ordinance.  We  may  be  ready 
to  complain  of  what  outward  concerns,  in  and 
about  the  worship  of  God  some  have  been  de- 
prived of.  We  have  infinite  more  reason  to  ad- 
mire, that  there  is  any  thing  left  unto  us,  any 
name,  any  place,  any  nail,  any  remembrance  in 
the  house  of  God  ;  considering  the  regardiess- 
ness  which  hath  been  upon  spirits  in  our  com- 
munion with  him.  "  Go  away,  and  sin  no  more, 
>•'  lest  a  worse  thing  befal  us."  If  die  re  be  in 
any,  that  have  not  risen  up  in  a  due  manner  in 
this  duty,  any  conviction  of  the  necessity  and 
usefulness  of  it,  God  forbid  we  should  be  found 
winning  against  this  conviction. 


in  order  to  participation.  177 

*  Case    of   conscience. 

J  low  may  a  professor*  who  f tars  lest  his  ex- 
periences are  counterfeit  and  not  genuine  graces, 
come  to  such  a  satisfaction  concerning  his  state, 
as  shall  encourage  his  continued  reception  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  ? 

This  question,  which  so  much  regards  'all 
members  of  Gospel  churches,  is  taken  into  con- 
sideration upon  account  of  the  following  letter, 

H  Reverend  Sir, 
44  T  AM  a  young  person,  who  have  had  a  reli- 
**  X  gious  education,  and  have  had  hopes  that 
4;  it  was  not  entirely  in  vain  ;  though  1  desire  to 
'*  be  ashamed,  that  I-have  improved  it  no  better. 
»'•'  I  should  be  very  much  obliged  to  you,  if  you 
rt  would  form  a  question,  and  answer  it,  as  soon 
H  as  possible,  from  the  following,  broken  ac- 
■■  count  of  myself.  1  was  under  convictions. 
a  when  I  was  very  young ;  but  they  were  too 
%i  often  stifled  by  me.  But  since  that,  I  have 
"  returned,  and  did  believe  God  had  begun  a 
**'  good  work  on  my  soul.  I  then  thought  it  my 
H  duty  to  give  myself  up  to  the  Lord  in  a  pub- 
"  lie  manner,  was  received  into  a  church  of 
%i  Christ,  have  often  found  pleasure  in  attending 
"  upon  those  ordinances,  and  in  particular  have 
u  found  comfort  at  the  Lord's  table.  Though  it 
"  has  not  been  always  the  same  with  me  when 
i(  there,  yet  I  have  hoped,  that  when  the  ordi 


*  Fron  Pi-:e  am)  Hayward's  Cases  of  Consc'eivr^ 


178  THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION, 

'l  nance  was  not  so  comfortable,  it  was  a  hurn- 

(i  bling  one.     I  am  often  in  darkness  about  my 

"  state,  and  am  ready  to  fear  lest  I  should  have 

"  deceived  myself :  but  desire  still  to  seek  God> 

ki  and  would  esteem  an  interest  in  Christ  above 

44  all  the  perishing  riches  of  this  vain  world,  nay? 

u  above  ten  thousand  worlds.  But,  sir,  I  know 

"  not  what  to  think  of  myself  after  all.  If  there 

"  is  a  false  faith,  a  false  love,  a  false  hope,  a  false 

'•'  humility,  and  the  like,  perhaps  mine  may  be 

•<  no  better.   Is  it  my  duty  to  go  to  the  table  of 

;*  the  Lord,  if  I  have  no  real   love  to  him,  and 

"  no  true  faith  in  him  ?  Is  not  this  an  ordinance 

'$  of  love  ?  And  when  we  attend  upon  it,  is  not 

Ci  this  a  time  to  put  faith  in  Christ  in  exercise  ? 

"  But  if  my  faith  and  love  are  false,  what  must 

"  I  do  ?  Am  1  not  deceiving  myself  and  others, 

"  and  mocking  God?  Surely  none  ought  to  go 

*••  to  this   ordinance?   who   have   not   a  change 

a  wrought  in  them  ;  and  if  there  be  a  false  plea- 

*•  sure  in  such  an  ordinance,  as   well  as  a  false 

•*  faith,  how  can  I  know  that  mine  is  not  so  \  I 

••  fear  I   lean  too   much  to  outward  duties.  I 

••  should  esteem  it  a  favour,  if  you  would,  sir? 

•'•'  shew  me  what  is  true  faith?  true  love?  &.c.  and 

••  what  is  the  difference  between  them  and  false 

••'  experiences,  that  I  may  know  in  some  mea- 

•'•'  sure  how    it  is  with   me.     If  I    belong  to 

*•  Christ?  1  desire  to  honour  him  both  living 

:'  and  dying. " 

This  letter  plainly  expresses  the  doubtful 
state  of  many  a  serious  Christian?  that  has  had 
the  enjoyment  of  gospel  ordinances  for  a  consi- 


IN  ORDER  TO   PARTICIPATION.  1  79 

durable  time,  and  has  been  admitted  into  the  pe- 
culiar privileges  of  church-fellowship.  For  I 
doubt  not  but  that  there  is  many  a  person  whose 
heart  reasons  after  this  manner  :  **  I  hope  I  have 
received  the  grace  of  God  in  truth,  and  do  now 
make  a  public  profession  of  it :  but  oh  !  when 
1  hear  that  even  professors  may  deceive  them- 
selves with  false  instead  of  true  hopes,  with  a 
false  instead  of  a  true  love,  I  am  afraid  of  myself, 
lest  all  my  experiences  should  have  been  of  this 
kind.  And  since  there  is  so  much  perplexity  in 
my  case,  so  much  deceitfulness  in  my  heart,  and 
so  much  confusion  in  my  mind  concerning  my- 
self, how  shall  I  come  to  know  whether  it  is  my 
duty  to  go  on  receiving  the  Lord's  Supper,  as 
usual  ?  1  am  afraid  all  is  not  right  between  God 
and  my  soul  ;  and  if.  after  all,  it  should  appear, 
that  my  faith  is  a  false  faith,  my  hope  a  false 
hope,  my  humility  a  false  humility,  and  the  like, 
it  is  plain  I  have  no  right  to  partake  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  Though  indeed  I  have  a  visible  right 
to  the  ordinance  by  reason  of  my  profession  and 
church-membership,  yet  I  am  afraid  1  have  no 
spiritual  right  to  it.  Had  I  not  then  better  sus- 
pend an  attendance  upon  the  Lord  at  his  table, 
lest  I  should  go  on  deceiving  myself  and  others, 
until  I  can  gain  a  clearer  satisfaction  concerning 
my  state  *  And  if  I  should  thus  withhold  for  a 
time,  how  shall  J  arrive  at  this  desired  satisfac- 
tion, or  how  shall  I  attain  to  a  well-grounded 
persuasion  that  my  experiences  are  true  and 
genuine  graces,  not  spurious  and  counterfeit?" 
In  this  way  of  reasoning,  many  a  conscien- 


180  THE    PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION. 

tious  professor  and  serious  Christian  often  per- 
plexes himself  about  his  present  duty  ;  while 
the  mere  nominal  Christian,  the  hypocritical  pro- 
fessor, has  generally  no  doubts  upon  this  head, 
but  goes  on  in  the  outward  participation  of  gos- 
pel privileges,  to  the  deceiving  of  others,  and  the 
hardening  his  own  heart  more  and  more.  May 
the  Lord  enable  me  to  speak  to  this  important 
point  with  faithfulness  and  clearness ;  and  may 
the  blessed  Spirit  set  it  home  upon  each  of  our 
hearts  for  our  humiliation  or  consolation. 

In  order  therefore  to  answer  this  question,  I 
must  desire  all  who  make  a  visible  profession, 
to  look  closely  into  these  four  things :  1.  Look 
into  your  conduct  and  practice.  2.  Into  the  na- 
ture and  ground  of  your  doubts  and  jealousies. 
3.  Into  the  frame  and  temper  of  your  mind  with 
respect  to  the  Lord's  Supper.  And,  4.  Into 
the  tendency  of  those  experiences  you  feel  in 
yourselves. 

1.  Look  attentively  into  your  conduct  and 
practice.  For  we  must  take  that  as  a  general 
rule  in  ail  cases,  which  the  apostle  lays  dowrn,* 
€*  If  we  say  we  have  fellowship  with  him,  and 
u  walk  in  darkness,  we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth. 
"  But  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the 
"  light,  we  have  fellowship  one  with  another ; 
*/  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleans- 
"  eth  us  from  all  sin."  Be  careful  therefore  to 
put  these  two  suppositions  faithfully  to  your- 
selves. If  you  walk  in  darkness,  that  is,  if  you 
-    .    ■_ ■  —        ■.»..,-  .*  x 

*  John  y.e,  7 


IN  ORDER  TO  PARTICTP  AT  I  OX,  1  8  I 

go  on  knowingly  and  willingly  in  the  path  of 
sin,  or  in  the  omission  of  known  incumbent  du- 
ty, vou  may  take  it  for  granted  that  all  your  pre- 
tensions are  vain,  that  your  profession  is  hypo- 
crisy, and  though  you  are  church-members,  and 
so  have  a  visible  right  to  all  the  ordinances  of  the 
church,  yet  you  are  strangers  to  Christ,  his 
truth,  and  Spirit.  Your  allowed  practice  of  any 
known  sin,  whether  secret  or  open,  gives  your 
profession  the  lie  :  or,  as  the  apostle  strongly 
expresses  it,  you  lie  and  do  not  the  truth.  But 
if,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  your  real  desire  to  walk 
in  all  the  statutes  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord 
blameless  :  if  you  desire  to  be  found  in  the  way 
of  your  duty,  to  watch,  strive,  and  pray  against 
sin  ;  if  you  are  sincerely  desirous  to  honour  and 
serve  the  Lord  from  a  principle  oflove  to  him, 
and  from  a  sense  of  his  love  to  you  ;  then  you 
have  real  spiritual  fellowship  with  one  another, 
and  with  the  church  of  God  ;  and  will  happily 
find,  that  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  represented 
in  the  sacrament,  cleanses  you  more  and  more 
from  all  sin.  I  hope  this  is  the  case  with  the 
young  person  who  wrote  this  letter  ;  for  there 
are  many  things  in  it  that  seem  to  prove  the  sin- 
cerity of  his  profession  ;  such  as  these  :  he  de- 
sires to  seek  God  ;  esteems  an  interest  in  Christ 
above  all  the  perishing  things  of  this  vain  world, 
nay,  above  ten  thousand  worlds  :  is  a 'raid  that 
he  leans  too  much  to  his  own  outward  duties* 
and  has  a  desire  to  honour  Christ  both  living 
and  dying.  Surely  this  is  not  the  language 
of  an  unregenerate  heart.  "  Thus  then  let  all 


182 

professors  inquire  into  their  conduct  and  prac- 
tice. 

2.  Inquire  into  the  nature  and  ground  of  these 
doubts  and  jealousies.  You  say  you  are  often  in 
darkness  about  your  state,  and  are  ready  to  fear 
that  you  have  been  all  along  deceiving  yourself;, 
and  understanding  that  there  are  such  things  as 
false  experiences,  false  faith,  false  hope,  false 
humility,  false  delight,  and  the  like,  your  suspi- 
cions are  strengthened,  and  your  heart  is  dis- 
couraged. Now,  I  say,  ask  yourselves  what  is  the 
reason  of  these  doubts  and  suspicions?  I  know 
that  Satan  and  an  unbelieving  heart  will  unite 
to  cast  a  damp  upon  the  mind,  and  inject  a  sur- 
mise with  special  strength  and  weight.  But 
perhaps  it  is  only  a  surmise  that  is  injected, 
which  does  not  offer  any  particular  reason  for 
its  support.  Now  if  these  injections  and  surmi- 
ses offer  nothing  to  ground  themselves  upon, 
they  are  not  to  be  attended  to,  but  to  be  resist- 
ed and  rejected.  You  are  in  this  case  to  take 
the  shield  of  faith,  in  order  to  quench  these  fie- 
ry darts  of  the  wicked  one.  Whensoever  such 
jealousies  seize  your  mind,  ask  that  question 
seriously,  which  the  Psalmist  put  to  himself,  * 
"  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul;  and 
'*  why  art  thou  disquieted  within  me.'"  Do  not 
hearken  to  the  suggestion,  unless  it  gives  some 
sufficient  reason  for  its  support. 

But  if  your  mind  offers  any  reason  for  these 
doubts  and  fears,  then  look  attentively  to  them. 

■    = 

•  Psal  xlii.  5. 


I.N   ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION7.  I  8 J 

Perhaps  you  will  say,  "  Oh,  I  see  much  reason 
to  doubt,  for  I  feel  much  corruption  in  my 
heart,  much  deadness  and  carnal  security,  much 
vanity  and  selfishness,  and  every  abomination 
in  me,  while  I  experience  but  little  of  love  to 
God,  or  faith  in  his  Son."  And  are  such  things 
as  these  the  true  reasons  of  your  fears  ?  You 
have  then  great  ground  to  hope  that  all  is  well 
with  you.  For  this  is  an  intimation,  that  the 
Lord  has  enlightened  you  into  a  knowledge  of 
yourself;  has  given  you  a  view  of  the  plague 
of  your  own  heart,  and  does  not  suffer  you  to  be 
contented  under  the  pre  valency  of  any  corrup- 
tion. This  sort  of  doubt  is  so  far  from  rendering 
your  experiences  the  more  suspicious,  that  it 
rather  proves  all  you  feel,  that  is  like  faith,  hope 
and  love,  to  be  true  and  genuine  :  for  this  jea- 
lousy proceeds  upon  a  spiritual  sight  and  con- 
viction of  your  own  un worthiness,  guilt  and 
corruption. 

Again,  look  into  the  tendency  of  these  suspi- 
cions. Which  way  do  they  work  ?  Do  they 
not  tend  to  make  you  more  humble  and  watch- 
ful ;  and  while  you  thus  walk  in  the  dark,  do 
you  not  therefore  walk  the  more  slowly  and 
cautiously  ?  Do  they  not  make  you  more  desi- 
rous after  true  grace  and  greater  enlargement 
in  duty  ?  Do  they  not  make  you  long  more 
for  holiness  ?  if  they  work  this  way,  you  have 
great  reason  to  conclude,  from  the  ver}-  na- 
ture of  your  suspicions,  that  your  hearts  are 
right  with  God.  and  principled  with  his  saving 
grace 


184 

3.  Inquire  into  the  frame  and  temper  of  your 
spirit  with  regard  to  the  Lord's  Supper.  Why 
do  you  desire  a  continued  enjoyment  of  this 
privilege  ?  What  is  it  makes  you  want  to  have 
free  access  to  this  ordinance  i  Is  it  to  subserve 
some  temporal  interest  r  Is  it  to  make  a  justify- 
ing' righteousness  of  this  privilege  ?  Or  is  it  that 
you  may  be  the  better  esteemed  among  Chris- 
tians or  professors  ?  If  it  be,  then  you  have 
sad  reason  to  fear,  that  you  have  no  real  right  to 
the  ordinance. 

But  do  you  desire  the  continued  enjoyment 
of  this  privilege  to  testify  your  love  to  Christ, 
to  have  your  sins  subdued.,  to  have  your  graces 
strengthened,  your  affections  for  Christ  inflamed, 
and  to  have  some  sweet  enjoyment  of  him  along 
with   the  saints  of  God  ?  In  a  word,  are  your 
views  and  desires  conformable  to  the  designs  cf 
Christ,  in   appointing  this   spiritual  ordinance  ? 
If  they  arc,  how  dark  soever  your  frame  may  be, 
how   dubious   soever  you  may  be   as  to  your 
state,  or  how  much  soever  you  complain  under 
the  power  of  corruption,  you   may   come  and 
welcome  to  the  Lord's  table  ;  since  your  designs 
and  desires  in  coming  are  to  behold  that  which 
Christ  therein   exhibits,  and  to  receive    what 
Christ  has   to    bestow.     This   ordinance    was 
particularly  designed  to  comfort  and  establish 
such  as  are  worried  by  the  temptations  of  Sa- 
tan, and  oppressed    by  their  tyrannizing  cor- 
ruptions. 

As  therefore  you  have  a  visible  right  by  be- 
ing a   church  member,  and  under   no  church 


IN  ORDER  TO    PARTICIPATION.  18 

censure,  you  ought  to  account  that  you  have 
a  real  right  to  it ;  because  the  Lord  draws  forth 
your  desires,  and  directs  your  views  to  that, 
which  isthe  very  design  of  this  sacred  institution. 
Come  then,  and  welcome  :  continue  your  atten- 
dance  ;  for  you  are  welcomed  to  the  table  by 
Christ  himself,  as  well  as  by  his  church. 

Lastly,  Inquire  into  the  tendency  of  those  ex- 
periences you  feel  in  yourselves*  In  looking 
over  the  particulars  of  the  letter  which  occasion- 
ed this  question,  I  find  there  are  five  fundamen- 
tal graces  of  the  Spirit  mentioned  :  concerning 
all  of  which,  our  friend  desires  to  know  how  he 
shall  be  satisfied,  that  they  are  true  and  genuine, 
namely,  faith,  hope,  love,  humility,  and  spiritual 
pleasure.  It  is  true,  there  is  a  counterfeit  to 
each  of  these  in  the  hearts  and  experiences  of 
temporary  believers,  and  mere  notionalists.  But, 
if  you  would  know  whether  yours  are  true  or 
false,  look  into  the  tendency  and  working  of 
them  in  your  hearts.  It  would  require  much 
time  and  several  discourses  to  enter  deeply  into 
the  consideration  of  each  of  these  graces,  and 
to  set  forth  the  evidences  and  marks  of  their  be- 
ing either  spurious  or  genuine.  But  I  shall  en- 
deavour to  run  through  them  in  as  brief  a  man- 
ner as  I  can,  suggesting  a  few  thoughts  that  may 
give  some  satisfaction  concerning  the  truth  of 
each  of  them. 

1.  Look  into  your  faith.  You  sometimes  feel 
motions  in  your  heart,  that  have  the  appearance 
of  faith  in,  and  reliance  upon,  the  Lord  Jesus. 
But,  as  there  is  a  false  faith,  you  are  afraid  yours 

R 


186  THE  PREVIOUS   SELF-EXAMINATION, 

may  be  such.  Consider  then,  and  ask  yourselves 
such  questions  as  these  :  whether  your  faith  is 
only  notional,  or  whether  it  be  joined  with  a 
serious  concern  for  yourselves;  about  an  interest 
in  Christ  and  his  salvation.  Again,  inquire 
whether  you  go  to  Christ  for  sanctification,  as 
wellas  for  justification;  inquire  likewise  whether 
the  reason  of  your  application  to  Christ  be  an  in- 
ward conviction  of  your  own  guilt,  corruption, 
and  helplessness,  or  whether  it  be  only  a  flighty 
affection,  without  any  seriou  s  insight  into  your- 
selves. Now  you  may  be  sure,  that  if  your  souls 
act  towards  Christ  from  a  serious  concern  for 
holiness  as  well  as  for  happiness,  proceeding 
from  an  inward  knowledge  of  yourselves,  and 
founded  upon  the  free  encouragement  of  the 
Gospel,  you  may  be  sure  your  faith  is  true  and 
genuine. 

2.  As  to  your  hope.  You  have  at  seasons 
some  pleasing  hope  in  your  souls  concerning  an 
interest  in  Christ,  and  the  possession  of  his  sal- 
vation. You  not  only  fly  to  Christ,  but  you  have 
received  some  hope  in  your  souls  that  he  will 
save  you  with  an  everlasting  salvation.  Take  no- 
tice then  what  is  the  foundation,  and  what  is  the 
tendency  of  this  hope. 

Observe  what  is  the  foundation  of  this  hope. 
If  it  be  grounded  upon  an  imagination  of  the  ex- 
cellency of  your  duties,  and  the  goodness  of  your 
heart,  it  is  a  hope  that  will  make  you  ashamed  ; 
because  it  betrays  your  ignorance  of  your 
own  imperfections  and  corruptions.  But  if  it 
be  founded  upon  the  freeness  of  divine  grace, 


I\  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  ISP 

the  riches  of  divine  love,  and  the  faithfulness  of 
the  divine  promises,  it  will  stand  the  trial,  be- 
cause it  proceeds  from  the  love  of  God  shed 
abroad  in  your  hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  * 

Again,  Look  into  the  tendency  of  your  hope. 
If  it  tend  to  make  you  careless  under  the  power 
of  sin,  or  more  careless  about  walking  with 
God,  because  you  have  a  prospect  of  being  hap- 
py for  ever,  this  is  all  wrong  :  such  a  hope  is 
certainly  spurious  and  presumptuous.  But  if,  on 
the  contrary,  it  is  your  heart's  desire  to  glorify 
God.  to  fly  from  sin,  and  to  increase  in  holiness, 
the  more  your  hopes  grow,  this  is  a  token 
your  hope  is  genuine ;  for  he  that  has  a  gos- 
pel hope  inhim,  "  purifies  himself  even  as  Christ 
is  pure,"  f 

3.  As  to  your  love.  You  feel  some  outgoings 
of  affection  to  Christ,  to  his  ordinances,  to  his 
people  ;  but  you  fear  lest  all  this  may  be  coun- 
terfeit ;  and  so  it  is,  if  this  your  love  be  con- 
sistent with  delighting  in  sin  :  but  if  your 
affection  for  Christ  teaches  you  to  cleave  unto 
the  Lord,  to  delight  in  his  ordinances,  and  to 
love  his  people  on  account  of  their  being  such, 
and  if  it  make  you  the  more  willing  and  desi- 
rous to  serve  and  honour  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
it  is  surely  a  genuine  love. 

4.  As  to  your  pleasure  and  delight  in  spiri- 
tual things.  You  sometimes  feel  a  delight  in 
divine  ordinances,   a  secret  pleasure  in  atten- 


Rom.  v.  5.  f  1  John  iii.  12. 


188  THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION, 

ding  upon  the  means  of  grace,  because  they  are 
sweet  and  comfortable  to  your  souls ;  but  fear 
lest  this  likewise  should  be  false.  Indeed  we 
must  acknowledge^  that  even  a  hypocrite  may 
have  a  pleasure  in  enjoying  the  means  of  grace, 
as  we  are  told,*  concerning  the  hypocritical  Is- 
raelites, that  they  sought  God  daily,  delighted  to 
know  his  ways,  and  even  delighted  in  approach- 
<ng  to  God.  But  what  was  the  reason  and  ground 
of  their  delight  ?  It  was  because  they  hoped  by 
such  services  to  make  atonement  for  their  sins, 
and  bring  themselves  into  the  divine  favour  by 
their  own  duties,  as  appears,!  Wherefore  have 
we  fasted,  say  they,  and  thou  seest  not?  Where- 
fore have  we  afflicted  our  souls,  and  thou  tahest 
no  knowledge  ?  They  had  such  a  high  opinion 
of  their  duties,  that  they  thought  it  strange  God 
did  not  smile  upon  and  reward  them  for  their 
religious  services.  But  now  ask  yourselves  this 
question,  What  is  the  reason  of  your  delight  in 
divine  ordinances  ?  Is  it  from  a  hope  of  being 
justified  thereby,  or  of  laying  God  under  some 
obligation  to  you  ?  Do  you  take  pleasure  in 
them  merely  because  they  are  suited  to  your 
own  sentiments,  or  because  they  convey  a  plea- 
sure to  your  ears?  Then  indeed  it  may  be 
counterfeit.  But  if  your  pleasure  in  approaching 
to  God  is,  because  you  desire  and  hope  to  find 
him  in  his  ordinances,  because  you  would  re- 
ceive supplies  from,  and  enjoy  communion  with 
him,  and  would  be  brougnt  nearer  to  him,  and 

*  Isa.  lviii.  2.  f  Isa.  IviiL  3. 


1\  ORDT.R  TO   PARTICIPATION.  189 

be  made  more  like  him,  you  may  then  be  sure 
that  your  pleasure  and  delight  are  genuine. 

Lastly,  as  to  your  humility.  You  find  some- 
thing within  you  that  looks  like  a  proper  humi- 
liation before  God  and  his  people;  but  your  fear 
is,  lest  this  likewise  should  be  spurious  and 
counterfeit.  To  be  satisfied  as  to  this  matter, 
seriously  inquire  into  the  nature  of  your  humili- 
ty, whether  it  be  feigned,  or  forced,  or  whether 
it  arises  from  a  real  sight  and  conviction  of  your 
own  meanness,  guilt,  and  pollution,  as  before 
God.  There  is  a  kind  of  voluntary  humility, 
which  some  are  very  fond  of;  striving  to  repre- 
sent themselves  before  their  fellow  Christians 
as  very  contemptible  and  polluted,  as  very  ig- 
norant and  weak,  professing  themselves  to  be 
such  before  men,  when  they  know  in  their  own 
consciences  they  would  not  chuse  their  com- 
panions should  have  that  opinion  of  them  ;  but 
they  do  it  on  purpose  that  their  friends  may 
think  them  very  modest  and  self-abased.  It  is 
evident  at  first  thought,  that  this  humility  has  a 
most  hateful  pride  at  the  bottom  of  it ;  and  those 
that  are  given  to  it,  and  fond  of  it,  have  great 
reason  to  suspect  themselves  ;  as  they  would 
certainly  be  suspected  by  their  friends,  could 
they  see  through  the  disguise. 

But  true  humility  is  an  unfeigned,  unforced 
thing  :  the  person  that  has  it  is  really  low  hi  his 
own  eyes ;  he  sees  and  laments  before  God  his 
own  guilt,  weakness,  and  impurity  ;  he  confesses 
himself,  in  the  sight  of  God,  as  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners 5  and  the  more  he  sees  of  the  grace  of  God 
b   2 


190  THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION, 

in  Christ,  the  more  he  admires  at  it,  is  affected 
with  it,  yea,  and  is  humbled  by  it.  None  are 
more  humble  in  reality  than  those,  who  can  view 
and  receive  the  grace  of  the  gospel  as  entirely 
free.  The  truly  humble  person,  the  more  he  sees 
of  the  divine  glory,  and  the  more  he  beholds  of 
the  riches  of  grace,  the  more  he  lays  himself 
low  at  the  divine  foot-stool.  He  says  with  Job,* 
"  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear, 
"  but  now  mine  eyes  see  thee  ;  wherefore  I 
"  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes.'' 
This  is  that  broken  spirit  and  contrite  heart  which 
God  will  not  despise.  But  God  does  and  man 
too  would,  despise  a  feigned?  voluntary,  and  af- 
fected humility.  Inquire  therefore  whether  your 
being  abased  is  thus  sincere  or  feigned. 

Once  more,  look  into  the  depth  of  your  hu- 
mility. Perhaps  you  are  low  in  your  own  eyes, 
merely  because  of  some  particular  defects  of  ca- 
pacity or  knowledge;  or  chiefly  because  of  some 
enormities  or  irregularities  in  your  practice.  If 
this  be  all,  it  is  not  sufficiently  deep.  But  if  that 
which  makes  you  self-abased,  is  a  view  of  your 
own  spiritual  emptiness  and  poverty,  a  view  of 
the  corruptions  of  your  nature,  and  the  sins  of 
your  thoughts  and  affections;  and  you  see  your- 
selves in  such  a  light,  as  to  be  heartily  willing 
to  receive  all  solvation  as  a  gift  entirely  free,  and 
to  be  truly  thankful  for  every  degree  of  hope 
you  are  favoured  with,  as  utterly  undeserved 
and  unprocured  by  you  ;  then  you  are  among 

*  Job  xlii.  5,  6. 


IS  ORDER   TO   PARTICirATK.v'.  \9l 

tiit  number  of  those,  whom  Christ,  first  of  all, 
pronounces  blessed,  saving,  Blessed  are  t/ie  poor 
in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.* 

Thus  inquire  into  the  genuineness  of  your 
experiences,  and  look  up  to  the  blessed  Spirit 
to  enable  you  to  pass  a  right  judgment  upon 
them.  The  whole  is  this  ;  if  that  faith*  hope, 
love,  delight,  and  humility  you  experience  in 
yourselves,  tend  to  wean  you  more  and  more 
from  sin  and  the  world,  to  win  you  over  to  em- 
brace and  admire  the  free  grace  of  the  gospel, 
and  to  make  you  depend  upon  and  delight  in 
Christ  both  for  justification  and  sanctification, 
your  graces  are  true  and  genuine,  not  spurious 
and  counterfeit. 

But,  after  all  that  can  be  said  upon  this  search- 
ing subject,  I  know  that  in  many  cases  no  clear 
satisfaction  can  be  given  or  received  in  a  way  of 
self-examination.  There  is  a  necessity  that  God's 
Spirit  should  shine  upon  his  own  work  to  as- 
sure us  that  we  are  the  children  of  God.  There 
is  so  much  darkness  in  our  minds,  deceitfulness 
in  our  hearts,  and  perplexity  in  our  thoughts, 
that  the  clearest  cases  will  sometimes  be  clouded, 
and  the  brightest  evidences  obscured. 

You  will  say  then,  What  must  a  poor  soul 
do  in  such  circumstances  ?  When  he  cannot 
gain  the  satisfaction  he  wants  by  reason  of  the 
Spirit's  withdrawment,  must  he  abstain  from 
the  peculiar  privileges  of  church  fellowship  ? 
Must  he  desist  from  a  regular  reception  of  the 

*  Matt.  v.  3. 


192 

Lord's  Supper,  until  these  matters  be  cleared 
up  to  satisfaction  ? 

I  shall  give  my  answer  to  this  in  the  applica- 
tion, which  shall  be,  (1.)  for  encouragement,  (2.) 
for  reproof,  (3.)  for  warning. 

I.  For  encourage ment.  Let  me  here  speak  a 
free  word  to  such  poor  doubting  souls.  Let  me 
ask  you,  are  you  conscious  of  indulging  and 
embracing  any  secret  or  open  sin  ?  Do  you  har- 
bour any  sinister  or  worldly  views  in  desiring 
to  eat  of  the  children's  bread?  Do  you  want 
to  make  a  justifying  righteousness  of  this  spe- 
cial ordinance  ?  I  hope  you  can  answer  in  the 
negative  to  these  queries,  by  saying,  that,  so  far 
as  you  know  your  own  hearts,  you  would  not, 
you  dare  not.  If  so,  then  you  do  not  impose 
upon  the  church,  or  pervert  the  design  of  the 
ordinance  in  your  reception  of  it. 

Do  you  still  say,  ?  Oh,  but  I  fear,  and  have 
great  reason  to  fear,  that  I  have  been  a  self- de- 
ceiver ;  for  I  cannot  come  to  any  clear  evidence 
of  the  truth  of  my  graces  and  experiences!" 
And  do  you  therefore  think  it  your  duty  to  de- 
sist, upon  this  account,  from  attending  at  the 
Lord's  table  ?  Think  again,  what  would  be  the 
consequence,  if  every  doubting  soul  were  to  rea- 
son in  this  manner.  If  none  but  those  that  were 
free  from  doubts  would  attend,  I  fear  that  very 
few  would  be  found  at  the  Sacramental  feast. 
Our  churches  are  thin  enough  already  ;  many- 
gracious  persons  keep  themselves  from  the  fel- 
lowship of  a  church  upon  the  same  account.  And 
how  few,  very  few,  svould  honour  Christ  by  such 


IN  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  19J 

a  profession  of  his  name,  if  all  were  to  act  upon 
this  plan  ?  And  what  will  you  say  as  to  the  pas- 
tor himself?  Do  you  think  him  to  be  always  free 
from  such  doubts,  fears,  and  perplexities  of 
soul  ?  If  you  do,  you  are  very  much  mistaken. 
And  what  if  he  should  absent  himself  every 
time  his  heart  is  dubious  and  perplexed  ?  This 
would  run  church  ordinances  into  confusion  in- 
deed. It  is  therefore  abundantly  evident,  that  a 
serious  church  member  should  not  absent  him- 
self from  the  Lord's  table,  because  of  his  doubts 
and  fears.  No,  no  :  doubting,  distressed  souls, 
should  rather  come,  that  their  doubts  may  be 
scattered,  their  faith  strengthened,  and  their  com- 
forts restored.  Come  and  welcome,  so  that  you 
come  with  views  and  desires  to  meet  with  Christ, 
to  see  him,  to  receive  from  him,  and  to  testify 
your  regard  for  him,  as  the  chief  desire  and  only 
hope  of  your  souls.  You  need  not  fear  receiv- 
ing any  damage  by  coming  unworthily,  if  you 
come  with  such  views  as  these;  but  may  rather 
hope  to  find  Christ  and  his  love  there  shed  a- 
broad  in  your  hearts. 

2.  I  have  now  a  word  of  reproof  to  many 
serious  Christians.  I  cannot  but  find  fault  with 
several  for  being  always  upon  the  complaint. 
You  harbour  your  doubts  and  fears,  you  encou- 
rage them  ;  your  souls  refuse  to  be  comforted ; 
you  are  always  making  scruples,  raising  objec- 
tions, and  seem  to  be  resolved  not  to  be  satisfied 
with  the  plainest  evidences.  Such  a  temper  as 
this  is  surely  dishonourable  to  Christianity  ;  it 
is  grieving  the  good  Spirit ;  and  it  is  ungrateful 


194  THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION, 

to  God,  who  has  given  you  some  tokens  of  his 
love.  Because  he  has  not  given  you  all  the  grace 
and  comfort  he  has  to  others,  you  will  therefore 
continually  suspect  his  love.  But  I  must  leave 
this  charge  to  every  one's  own  conscience ;  and 
while  I  heartily  pity  those,  who  are  truly  in  dark- 
ness and  distress  of  soul,  1  must  say  that  those 
are  much  to  be  blamed,  who  are  fond  of  recom- 
mending themselves  to  their  fellow  Christians 
by  making  themselves  appear  as  very  dark  and 
discouraged.  Those  who  are  this  way  inclined, 
do  insensibly  sink  themselves  lower  and  lower, 
and  provoke  the  Spirit  of  God  more  and  more 
to  withdraw  his  enlightening  and  comforting  in- 
fluence.   Once  more. 

3.  A  word  for  warning  and  conviction.  Re- 
member there  are  three  sorts  of  church  mem- 
bers :  those  who  have  their  evidences  clear,  and 
graces  in  exercise ;  and  those  who  are  under 
darkness  and  doubts  ;  and  those  who  mind  none 
of  these  things,  so  as  they  can  but  keep  up  a 
visible  profession,  and  maintain  their  credit  a- 
mong  Christians.  These  last  are  very  easy  and 
satisfied  ;  they  have  no  scruples  nor  doubts;  and 
think  it  enough,  if  they  can  but  keep  themselves 
from  falling  under  censure  of  the  church,  or  of 
their  fellow  professors.  Let  rae  tell  you,  that 
such  as  these,  it  is  to  be  feared,  are  tares  among 
the  wheat. — These  have  great  reason  to  suspect, 
that  all  is  not  right  with  them.  And  though  I 
would  do  and  say  all  I  could  to  encourage  the 
serious,  dubious  soul ;  yet  I  must  proclaim,  that 
such  carnal  gospellers  are  in  the  most  dangerous 
condition.   They  receive  this  Sacrament  only  to 


IN  ORDER  TO   PARTICIPATION.  1QJ 

keep  the  name  alive  ;  and,  by  continuing  in  this 
way,  they  stifle  the  convictions  of  their  own  con- 
sciences, harden  their  own  hearts  more  and  more, 
and  are  in  danger  of  falling  into  sin  and  hell  from 
all  their  profession  and  privileges.  If  these  lines 
come  into  the  hands  of  any  such,  oh,  that  they 
may  be  made  to  strike  home  to  their  conscien- 
ces ;  and  remind  them,  that  the  case  of  the  se- 
rious, fearful,  and  dubious  soul,  who  comes  with 
trembling  and  concern  to  the  table  of  the  Lord, 
is  abundantly  preferable  to  theirs,  who  boldly 
claim  a  privilege  with  no  higher  view,  than  to 
support  the  name  they  bear  in  the  eyes  of  others. 
May  the  Lord  convince  and  deter  such,  while 
he  comforts  and  encourages  the  feeble-minded 
by  his  word  and  Spirit. 

*LET  a  man  examine  himself ,  and  so  let  him. 
eat,  says  the  inspired  apostle.  Come,  then.  O 
my  soul !  call  thyself  to  an  account,  whether  thou 
art  in  any  measure  that  •  which  God  expects 
every  worthy  communicant  should  be. 

Have  I  knowledge  to  discern  the  Lord^s  body  ? 
am  I  apprised  of  the  nature  and  end  of  this  or- 
dinance ?  has  not  the  minister  bestowed  upon 
me  labour  in  vain,  when  he  opened  these  mys- 
teries to  me  ?  Has  what  I  have  read  and  heard 
about  this  matter,  given  me  a  tolerable  notion  of 
it  ?  I  know  a  man  may  have  knowledge  enough, 
and  yet  eat  and  drink  unworthily  ;  but  yet,  with- 
out some  good  measure  of  understanding,  he 
cannot  be  an  acceptable  communicant. 

*  From  Dr.  Jabez  Earle's  Sacramental  Exercises. 


196 

Have  I  therefore  knowledge  to  discern  the 
Lord^s  body?  Have  I  knowledge  to  understand 
that  the  body  which  is  figuratively  exhibited 
here,  is  the  human  nature  of  no  less  a  person 
than  the  Son  of  God,  the  Lord  of  glory,*  by 
by  whom  all  things  were  made,  by  whom  they 
all  consist,f  and  by  whom  they  are  governed  ?  % 
How  stupendous  is  the  love  of  God,  in  not  spa- 
ring his  own  Son  !  How  mighty  must  he  be, 
to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  who  come  unto  God 
through  him !  What  infinite  merit  must  there 
be  in  his  obedience  \  what  infinite  virtue  in  his 
atoning  blood ! 

Do  I  understand  the  nature  of  the  gospel-co- 
venant, the  covenant  of  grace,  of  which  the  Sa- 
craments are  seals  ? 

Do  I  know  how  the  first  covenant  was  bro- 
ken f  into  what  a  sad  condition  the  fall  of  our 
first  parents  brought  their  wretched  offspring  ? 
how  it  pleased  God,  in  infinite  mercy,  to  enter 
into  a  new  covenant,  through  a  Redeemer,  in 
which  he  has  provided  for  his  own  honour,  and 
our  happiness  ?  Do  I  understand  who  is  the 
Mediator,  and  what  are  the  promises  and  bless- 
ings of  this  covenant  ?  Read  with  care  the  sum- 
mary which  we  have  of  them,  in  Heb.  viii.  10, 
11,  12. 

Do  I  understand  the  relation  that  this  sacra- 
ment bears  to  that  covenant :  that  it  is  instituted 
by  the  Mediator,  to  whom  "  all  power  is  given 
both  in  heaven  and  earth  :"*  that  it  is  designed 

*  1  Cor.  ii.  a         f  Col.  i.  16,  17.         J  Epb.  i.  22.         $  Matt. 
xxviii.  18. 


IN  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  \h)7 

to  represent  the  blessings  he  has  purchased,  with 
the  manner  in  which  they  were  procured,  and 
are  applied  :  that  I  am  at  the  Lord's  table,  to 
"  shew  forth  his  death :"  that  the  broken  bread 
represents  his  body,  which  was  broken  for  us  ; 
and  the  wine  his  precious  blood,  which  was 
shed  for  us;  6f  and  by  which,  not  only  the  re- 
mission of  sins,  but  every  other  blessing  pro- 
mised in  the  gospel,  was  purchased,  and  secured 
to  every  real  believer:"*  that  our  eating  that 
bread,  and  drinking  that  cup,  signifies  that  fidu- 
cial feeding  upon  him  who  is  that  (and  more)  to 
our  souls,  than  bread,  the  "  staffof  life,  and  wine 
"  that  cheers  the  heart,"  is  to  our  bodies? 

Do  I  understand  how  it  seals  the  covenant 
to  every  worthy  receiver :  how  hereby  God  obli- 
ges himself  to  be  their  God,  to  pardon  their  sins, 
sanctify  their  souls,  and  at  last  bring  them  to 
eternal  happiness  and  glory :  how  therein  they 
engage  themselves  to  him,  thankfully  accepting 
what  he  offers,  and  cheerfully  complying  with 
what  he  demands  :  that  herein  we  open  our 
mouths  to  God,  and  swear  that  we  will  be  his 
in  the  bonds  of  an  "  everlasting  covenant,  that 
*•  shall  not  be  forgotten,"  accepting  him,  and 
resigning  ourselves  f 

Do  I  know  of  what  advantage  this  ordinance 
is  to  every  worthy  communicant ;  how  it  is  de- 
signed to  confirm  their  faith,  to  inflame  their 
love,  purify  their  consciences,  and  comfort  their 
souls  ? 

*  2  Cor.  i.  20. 

s 


198  THE  PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION, 

Do  I  understand  how  it  produces  these  effects; 
not  in  a  natural  way,  nor  merely  in  a  moral  one, 
but  by  the  powerful  influences  of  the  Spirit,  dis- 
pensed, and  to  be  expected,  in  a  devout  attend- 
ance upon  the  appointments  of  infinite  wisdom 
and  goodness  ? — Let  me  put  to  my  soul,  that 
question  which  my  Saviour  put  to  his  disciples, 
u  Hast  thou  understood  all  these  things:" 

I  must  confess,  my  apprehensions  of  these 
things  are  too  dark  and  confused  :  but  I  dare 
not  deny  the  grace  of  God,  who  has  given  me 
some  acquaintance  with  these  awful  mysteries ; 
and  I  hope  I  do  desire  to  improve  in  knowledge, 
and  am  willing  to  receive  instruction. 

u  And,  O  that  God  would  teach  me  what  I 
yet  know  not,  and  lead  me  farther  into  the  know- 
ledge of  all  necessary  truth  !  Oh  that  he  would 
"  shew  me  his  covenant;"*  and  help  me  to 
u  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  my 
u  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  !"f  that  he 
would  reveal  to  me,  by  his  Spirit,  those  "  deep 
"  things  of  God,  which  the  natural  man  receiv- 
"  eth  not,  because  they  are  spiritually  discern- 
"  ed  !"J  "  O  Father  of  lights,  who  giveth  wis- 
u  dom  liberally,  and  upbraidest  not,  make  me 
"  to  know  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeth 
*'  knowledge,  and  help  me  to  comprehend  with 
"  all  saints,  the  breadth  and  length,  and  depth 
"  and  height  of  it  !"||    Amen. 

Consider,  O  my  soul !  that  mere  knowledge 
is  not  a  sufficient  qualification  for  the  holy  com- 

*  Psalm  xxv.  14.      f  2  Pet.  iii.  14.      \  1  Cor.  ii.  18.      II  Eph- 
jii.  18, 19, 


IM  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION'.  199 

munion.  If  I  have  knowledge  to  discern  the 
Lord's  body,  and  want  faith  to  feed  upon  him, 

I  shall  return  from  his  table  disappointed  and 
ashamed.  My  blessed  Lord  has  toid  me,  that 
"  except  I  eat  his  flesh,  and  drink  his  blood,  I 
M  have  no  life  in  me."*  Now.  this  I  know  must 
be  by  faith,  not  after  a  corporal  and  carnal  man- 
ner :  let  me  therefore  put  that  question  to  my 
soul,  which  my  Saviour  put  to  his  disciples, 
"  Where  is  thy  faith?"  Do  I  believe  in  an  un- 
seen Jesus  ?  Do  1  really  believe  that  he  is  the 
Son  of  God,  and  that  he  died,  was  buried,  and 
rose  again,  according  to  the  scriptures  ?  Do  I 
heartily  approve  the  method  which  God  has  ap- 
pointed for  man's  salvation,  that  "  being  justi- 

II  fied  by  faith,  he  should  have  peace  with  God 
"  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?"  Do  I  hear- 
tily "  submit  to  the  righteousness  of  God,  and 
"  rejoice  in  God  through  him  by  whom  we  have 
"  now  received  the  atonement?"  Do  I  earnestly 
desire  to  "  be  found  in  Christ,  not  having  mine 
"  own  righteousness,  &c.  but  that  which  is 
"  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness 
"  which  is  of  God  by  faith,"  that  Christ  may 
be  made  unto  me  righteousness?  Do  I  believe 
that  ''Christ died  for  my  sins,"and  so  was  "  made 
'•  sin  (a  sin-offering)  for  me,  that  I  might  be  made 
;<  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him  ?"  Do  I  tru- 
ly desire  to  lay  the  stress  of  my  hopes  upon  the 
mercy  of  God  in  Christ ;  and,  under   a  con- 

*  John  vi.  53. 


-00  THE  PREVIOUS   SELF-EXAM'INATIOX, 

sciousness  of  guilt,  apply  to  that  "  blood  which 
cleanses  from  all  sin  ?"  Can  my  soul  make  her 
applications  to  him,  and  derive  from  "  his  ful- 
ness even  grace  for  grace  ?"  Am  I  in  any  mea- 
sure acquainted  with  this  mystery  ?  and  can  I 
understand,  by  any  experience  of  my  own,  what 
the  apostle  meant  when  he  said,  "  I  live ;  yet 
';  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me?"*  What 
should  he  do  at  a  royal  feast,  that  cannot  taste  of 
the  provision  ?  Am  I  therefore  taught  of  God  to 
believe  in  Jesus  ? 

"  Lord,  I  believe:  help  thou  mine  unbelief!" 
I  hope  I  have  "  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gra- 
"  cious."  I  can  remember  when  I  sat  un^ 
der  his  "  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  his 
"  fruit  was  sweet  unto  my  taste."  "  My  soul 
"  has  followed  hard  after  him,"  and  I  have  rea- 
son to  remember  his  love  more  than  wine.  But 
alas  !  I  have  too  much  occasion  for  that  prayerr 
"  Lord,  increase  my  faith  !  without  controversy, 
"  great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness  ;"  and  I  am 
too  often  apt  to  stumble  at  the  cross  :  my  temp- 
tations to  unbelief  often  find  me  much  sorrow- 
ful employment ;  and,  at  best,  my  faith  is  but 
weak  and  languid.  O  my  God  !  "  perfect  that 
"  which  is  lacking  in  my  faith  ;"  and  when  I 
find  its  strength,  I  shall  not  doubt  its  reality. 

I  must  also  inquire  concerning  my  repent- 
ance. An  impenitent  communicant,  I  know, 
must  be  an  unworthy  one.  That  I  am  a  sinner, 
is  a  matter  past  question  :  and  that,  as  such,  I 


*   Gal.  ii,  9.0- 


TN  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  201 

am  exposed  to  the  displeasure  of  God,  so  that 
if  he  should  enter  into  judgment  with  me,  I 
could  not  stand,  is  what  I  know  and  believe  : 
yea,  that  the  least  sin  I  ever  committed,  deserves 
the  wrath  and  curse  of  God,  both  in  this  world 
and  that  which  is  to  come.  But,  all  this  is  gene- 
ral and  common  ;  let  me  therefore,  O  my  soul ! 
press  the  matter  close  and  home. 

Have  I  laid  these  things  to  heart?  have  my 
convictions  been  affecting  ?  have  I  not  only 
known  but  felt  these  things  ?  have  I  been  weary 
and  heavy  laden  under  a  sense  of  sin  ?  have  I 
groaned  and  trembled  under  the  apprehension 
of  God's  displeasure  ?  has  u  destruction  from 
"  the  Lord  been  a  terror  to  me,  has  my  flesh 
"  trembled  for  fear  of  him.  and  have  I  been  a- 
"  fraid  of  his  judgments?"  yea,  have  I  been 
ashamed  of  sin,  as  a  nauseous,  loathsome  thing, 
contrary  to  the  nature  and  law  of  God,  and  my 
own  happiness  too,  which  consists  in  conformi- 
ty to  God,  and  enjoyment  of  him?  has  the  re- 
membrance of  my  sins  filled  my  heart  with  grief, 
and  my  face  with  shame,  especially  considering 
how  it  has  been  committed  against  a  God  of  in- 
finite love  and  goodness  ?  does  this  thought  give 
a  peculiar  accent  to  my  grief,  that  I  have  sinned 
against  a  bleeding,  dying,  Jesus,  and  a  forbear- 
ing and  forgiving  God  ?  and  does  the  apprehen- 
sion of  pardoning  mercy  through  a  Redeemer 
promote  in  me  the  most  kindly  relentings,  ac- 
cording to  that,  Ezek.  xvi.  63. 

In  the  next  place,  have  I  been  influenced  by 
these  convictions,  to  take  up  a  hearty  and  sin- 


202  THE  PREVIOUS   SELF-EXAMINATION, 

cere  resolution  of  better  obedience  ?  do  1  hate 
every  false  ivaij  ?  and  have  I  a  respect  to  all 
GocPs  commandments  ?  Oh  !  let  me  remember, 
that  nothing  is  repentance  that  consists  with  an 
habitual  love  to  any  sin,  or  an  allowed  aversion 
to  any  instance  of  duty?  or  branch  of  holiness. 
Is  my  heart  and  life  changed  ?  He  that  is  the 
iame  after  repentance  as  he  was  before,  can 
never  be  accounted  a  true  penitent. 

0  my  conscience  !  be  faithful :  have  I  "  put 
w  off  the  old  man  with  his  lusts,  and  put  on  the 
r%  new  man?  which,  after  God,  is  created  in  righ- 
*  teousness  and  true  holiness?" 

1  hope  it  is  thus  with  me  in  some  measure, 
that  though  I  offend  in  many  things.  I  allow  my- 
self in  nothing  that  God  in  his  word  disallows. — 
But?  alas !  my  repentance  is  far  short  of  what  I 
know  it  should  be,  and  wish  it  were. 

"  Oh  that  he,  whose  gift  repentance  (as  well 
as  faith)  is,  would  carry  on  the  work  which  I 
trust  is  begun  !  Lord,  open  my  eyes,  that  I  may 
see  more  of  the  evil  of  sin  !  strike  this  heart, 
ibis  rock,  that  it  may  more  freely  bleed  at  the 
remembrance  of  my  past  follies  !  confirm  my 
resolutions,  that  I  may  have  i(  nothing  more  to 
"  do  with  idols;"  but  may  be  :<  stedfast  and 
"  immoveable,  and  aiway  abounding  in  the  work 
"  of  the  Lord  !  search  me?  and  try  me,  and  see 
u  if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead 
"  me  in  the  way  everlasting." 

I  must  also  examine  myself  concerning  my 
>ove,  an  essential  and  comprehensive  grace.  If  I 
do  not  sincerelv  love  the  Master  of  the  blessed 


TN  ORDER    TO   PARTICIPATION.  203 

feast,  unci  all  the  regular  guests,  I  cannot  be  wel- 
come. Come,  then,  O  my  soul  !  is  thy  ••  heart 
"  circumcised  to  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
;i  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy  soul?*  this  is 
"  the  first  commandment."  Canst  thou  truly 
-av,  that  thy  desire  is  towards  him,  and  thy  de- 
light in  him  ?  dost  thou  love  '*  not  in  word  and 
u  in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth  r"f  Has 
iie  the  pre-eminence  in  thy  soul  ?  Canst  thou 
sav,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee,  and 
*:  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  can  desire  be- 
u  sides  thee  .'"J  Is  Christ  precious  to  thee,  be- 
vond  comparison  and  competition  •  and  canst 
thou  truly  say,  <•'  Yea,  doubtless,  I  count  all 
••  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  know- 
;i  ledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord  ;"§ 

Is  this  thy  love  to  him  a  rational  love,  the  ef- 
fect of  serious  thought,  and  deep  conviction  of 
his  transcendent  excellency  ?  Has  the  Spirit  of 
God  opened  thy  eyes,  to  see  that  he  is  the  "  Chief 
"  of  ten  thousands,  and  altogether  lovely  :"  and 
canst  thou  tell  what  the  church's  "  beloved  is 
"  more  than  another's  beloved :" 

Is  it  a  constant  and  fixed  love ;  not  a  sudden 
flash  or  transient  passion,  but  a  rooted,  settled 
thing ;  a  vigorous  flame,  which  many  <k  waters 
"  cannot  quench,  nor  the  floods  drown  it?"  and 
though  thy  love  to  some  dear  creatures  may  un- 
happily be  more  passionate,  yet  art  thou  come 
to  a  point,  that  thou  wilt  sacrifice  the  dearest 
object  rather  than  part  with  "  him  whom  thy 


Deut.  sxx.  6.     +  1  John  Hi.  18.     i  Psal.  lxxiii.  25.     $  Philip. 


204  THE    PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMINATION. 

"  soul  loves?" — But  to  bring  the  matter  to  a 
more  certain  issue,  is  thy  love  practical  ?  this  is 
an  infallible  test ;  for  my  Lord  has  said,  "  Ye 
"  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  com- 
"  mand  you  ;"*  dost  thou  count  his  "  yoke 
"  easy,  and  his  burden  light  r"  are  none  of  his 
"  commandments  grievous  ?"  dost  thou  delight 
to  do  his  will,  and  hast  thou  chosen  his  "  testi- 
"  monies  as  an  heritage  for  ever?"  dost  thou 
find  his  love  sweetly  constraining  thee  to  the 
severest  instances  of  self  denial  ?  and  art  thou 
fully  purposed,  in  a  better  strength  than  thine 
own,  that  thou  wilt  lt  follow  the  Lamb  whither- 
"  soever  he  goes,"  whatever  it  costs  thee  If  it 
be  thus  with  thee,  thou  mayest  cheerfully  sav, 
"  Lord  thou  that  knowest  all  things,  knowest 
"  that  1  love  thee!" 

And,  as  a  yet  farther  evidence,  dost  thou 
"  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself?"  hast  thou  a 
real  love  for  all  men,  and  a  special  peculiar  one 
to  thy  fellow  Christians  ?  is  there  no  man  for 
whom  thou  dost  not  most  heartily  wish  well, 
whatever  provocations  he  has  given  thee,  or  in- 
juries he  has  done  thee  ?  though  thou  hast  many 
enemies.  has  no  man  an  enemy  of  thee  ?  if  there 
are  those  that  u  hate  thee  with  a  cruel  hatred," 
canst  thou  appeal  to  God  that  the  hatred  is  not 
mutual  and  reciprocal  ?  canst  thou  sincerely 
pray;  "  Forgive  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive 
"  them  that  trespass  against  us  ?" 

And  as  to  the  people  of  God  dost  thou  honour 

*  John  xv.  14. 


IK  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION'.  205 

and  delight  in  them  ?  hereby  "  we  know  that 
••  wc  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because 
w'  we  love  the  brethren  ?"*  dost  thou  love  every 
soul  where  thou  seest  the  image  of  Christ  ?  is 
not  thy  love  confined  to  those  of  thy  own  party 
or  persuasion  ?  but  is  it  unrestrained  and  large, 
as  that  catholic  church  of  which  thou  art  a  mem- 
ber ?  does  this  love  engage  thee  to  all  proper 
acts  of  kindness,  and  expressions  of  brotherly 
Jove  !  dost  thou  pity  and  help,  to  the  utmost  of 
thy  power,  all  those  whom  Christ  calls  brethren, 
with  this  view,  that  what  thou  dost  for  them, 
terminates  ultimately  upon  him,  according  to 
Matthew  xxv.  I  Canst  thou  read  the  first  epis- 
tle of  John,  and  thy  heart  not  condemn  thee  ? 

I  hope  my  love  is  sincere. 

(i  But,  O  my  God,  how  weak  and  how  im- 
perfect is  it  1  I  even  hate  myself,  that  I  can  love 
thee  no  more  :  I  abhor  myself,  that  I  love  thy 
Christ  no  better ;  and  blush  to  think  that  I  am 
no  more  kindly  afTectioned  to  those  whom  thou 
hast  loved  with  an  everlasting  love,  and  with 
whom  I  hope  to  live  and  converse  for  ever. 

My  only  comfort  is,  that  I  would  love  thee, 
I  desire  to  Love  thee,  I  long  to  love  thee,  even 
as  thou  wouidst  be  loved. — Lord  !  kindle  my 
spark  into  a  name,  and  let  that  flame  be  strong 
and  steady  :  and  especially  grant  that  my  obe- 
dience may  prove  my  love  to  be  of  the  right 
kind  :  •'•  How  can  J  say  I  love  thee,  if  my  heart 
"  be  not  right  with  thee."    And  for  thy  sake. 


1  John  iii.  1  i, 


206  THE    PREVIOUS    SELF-EXAMINATl IN 


may  I  love  my  neighbour,  especially  the  happy 
members  of  that  glorious  family,  to  which  it  is 
my  highest  honour  to  belong :  O  may  I  love 
them  as  myself,  and  in  honour  prefer  them  be- 
fore myself,  and  think  no  office  of  love  too  mean 
for  me  to  stoop  to,  in  imitation  of  him,  "  who 
**  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minis- 
u  ter  s*  this  I  pray,  that  my  love  may  abound 
M  more  and  more  ;"f  and  being  hearty  and  fer- 
vent in  this  request,  is,  I  hope,  an  evidence  that 
I  do  truly  love  thee.  Oh  !  let  me  not  be  mista- 
ken, for  the  sake  of  Christ. 

I  must  also  examine  myself  concerning  my 
new  obedience.  This,  I  know,  is  the  ultimate 
test  of  all  my  pretences  :  without  it,  faith,  re- 
pentance, love,  &x.  are  empty  names,  and  insig- 
nificant shadows.  Is  the  will  of  God  my  law, 
his  word  my  rule,  and  his  glory  the  end  of  all 
my  actions  ?  Do  I  allow  myself  in  the  commis- 
sion of  no  known  sin,  or  omission  of  no  known 
duty  ?  Is  it  my  constant  care  to  u  keep  a  con- 
"  science  void  of  offence,  both  towards  God  and 
u  towards  man  :"  Can  my  closet,  my  family, 
my  shop,  my  companions,  as  well  as  the  public 
assemblies  of  God's  people,  bear  me  witness, 
that,  notwithstanding  my  unallowed  failings,  I 
do  endeavour  to  walk  in  all  the  "  ordinances 
"  and  commandments  of  God  blameless  r"  Am 
I  willing  to  know  my  duty,  and  careful  to  do 
it;  am  I  thankful  for  instruction,  and  reproof 
too ;  and  do  I  count  them  my  friends  that  tell 

*  Matt.  $x.  28-  f  Philip,  i.  9. 


IN*  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION.  207 

me  the  truth  ?  Are  my  remaining  corruptions, 
and  my  many  failings,  matter  of  humiliation  to 
me  ?  Do  I  pray  for  daily  grace,  as  heartily  as 
for  my  daily  bread"?  And  can  I  appeal  to  the 
Searcher  of  hearts,  that  1  am  never  more  in  ear- 
nest, than  when  I  pray  that  1  may  be  "  perfect 
in  every  good  work  to  do  his  will*;"  that  I 
may  be  cleansed  from  all  ';  filthiness  both  of 
flesh  and  spirit,  and  perfect  holiness  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  f  ;  that  I  may  be  sanctified 
wholly,  and  my  whole  spirit,  soul  and  body, 
be  preserved  blameless  to  the  coming  of  our 
Lord  J  ?" 

I  hope  it  is  thus  with  me  in  some  measure — 
"  But,  O  my  God  !  let  me  not  be  deceived. 
If  my  obedience  be  feigned,  or  partial,  or  legal ; 
if  it  do  not  exceed  '•  that  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  ;  if  I  have  a  form  of  godliness  with- 
out the  power,  or  a  name  to  live  while  I  am 
dead;"  discover  to  me  the  truth  of  my  case,  that 
I  may  be  upon  a  right  bottom,  and  may  get 
that  ••  gospel  holiness,  without  which  I  cannot 
see  the  Lord."  If  there  be  a  good  work  begun, 
O  carry  it  on  to  the  day  of  Jesus  !  and  let  the 
solemn  ordinance  I  am  preparing  for,  be  a  means 
of  my  spiritual  nourishment  and  growth  in 
grace." 

I  hope  I  have  been  impartial  in  my  self-ex- 
aminations.— And  though,  upon  review,  I  find 
abundant  matter  for  humiliation:  yet  I  cannot 
conclude  myself  a  hypocrite,   but  must  enter- 


•  Heb.iin.21.  j  2  Cor.vii.l.         \  1  Thess.  v.  23, 


208  THE  PREVIOUS   SELF-EXAMINATION, 

tain  some  u  good  hope  through  grace,"  that  I 
am  a  sincere,  though  very  imperfect  Christian, 
and  shall  be  a  welcome  guest  at  the  Lord's 
table. 

That  which  now  remains,  is  that  I  put  my- 
self in  as  good  a  posture  as  may  be,  to  meet  my 
Lord  at  that  solemnity  ;  that  I  may  not  provoke 
his  displeasure,  nor  disappoint  my  own  expecta- 
tions. To  this  end  I  must  see  that  every  grace  be 
in  lively  and  vigorous  exercise,  lest  having  "  in 
my  flock  a  male,  I  should  vow  and  sacrifice  to 
the  Lord  a  corrupt  thing  #." 

I  am  sensible,  faith  is  a  principal  and  leading 
grace  :  it  is  the  substance  (or  confident  expec- 
tation) (t  of  things  hoped  for,  and  the  evidence 
of  things  not  seen  :  without  faith  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  please  God  f ."  I  cannot  question  the  be- 
ing of  a  God,  and  the  certainty  of  a  future  state, 
which  are  the  great  principles  of  natural  religion, 
and  pre-supposed  to  ail  revealed.  I  believe  that 
kk  God  is,  and  that  he  is  the  rewarder  of  all  them 
that  diligently  seek  him  J.  But  this  is  not  e- 
nough  ;  my  Lord  has  said,  "  Ye  believe  in 
God,  believe  also  in  me  §  :"  no  knowledge  of 
the  only  true  God  is  sufficient  to  eternal  life, 
while  men  are  ignorant  of  '*  that  Jesus  Christ 
whom  he  has  sent  ||." — Come,  then,  O  my  soul! 
let  thy  faith  in  him  be  strong  and  lively  :  Have 
I  not  abundant  evidence,  that  Jesus  is  the  Mes- 
siah, the  Christ  of  God,  that  "  him  hath  God 
the  Father  sealed."  The  Scriptures  of  the  Old 


Mai.  i.  14.  f  Heb.  »•  h  6-  I   Hc^  xi-  6- 

$  John  xiv.  1.  I  John  xvii.  3. 


IN  ORDER  TO  PARTICIPATION'.  209 

Testament  testify  of  him  *,  To  him  "  Moses 
and  all  the  prophets  bear  witness  f .  In  him 
there  was  a  full  and  exact  accomplishment 
of  every  promise  and  prediction  :  he  is  the 
substance  of  all  the  legal  shadows  ;  and  to  him 
referred  are  the  types,  &c.  :  he  was  evidently 
the  Promised  Seed,  the  Shiloh,  the  Branch,  &c. 
of  the  ancient  fathers,  who  u  waited  for  the  con- 
solation of  Israel  J." 

Consider,  O  my  soul !  what  a  glorious  testi- 
mony God  bore  to  him  by  a  voice  from  heaven  ; 
by  vast  numbers  of  great,  public,  and  uncontest- 
ed miracles  ;  and,  finally,  by  raising  him  from 
the  dead  :  of  which  he  appointed  competent 
witnesses,  men  of  ability  and  integrity,  who 
could  not  be  imposed  upon  in  so  plain  a  mat- 
ter, and  who  could  never  be  supposed  to  prac- 
tise upon  the  world,  because  there  was  no  in- 
terest in  view  that  should  engage  them  in  so 
base  a  design  ;  and  it  is  utterly  impossible  that 
holy  and  prudent  men  should  be  guilty  of  the 
blackest  villainy,  in  prospect  of  nothing  but  mi- 
sery and  ruin. 

Besides,  did  not  'l  God  also  bear  them  wit- 
ness, both  with  signs  and  wonders,  and  divers 
miracles,  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  &  ?"  To 
which  may  be  added  this  other  consideration, 
that  that  doctrine  must  needs  be  from  God, 
which  has  so  visible  and  peculiar  a  tendency  to 
make  men  God-like  in  the  temper  of  their 
minds,  and  course  of  their  actions ;  that  gospel 

*  John  vi.  27,  and  39.  f  Acts  x.  43.  i  Luke  ii.  25. 

§  Heb.  ii.4. 

T 


210  THE   PREVIOUS  SELF-EXAMIN  ATIOK, 

must  needs  be  the  grace  of  God,  which  teaches 
us  so  effectually,  "  that  denying  ungodliness 
and  all  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly, 
righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present  evil 
world."*  1  find,  by  the  records  of  past  ages, 
and  the  observations  I  have  made  in  the  com- 
pass of  my  own  acquaintance,  that  the  best 
Christians  have  been  the  best  men.  And,  O 
my  soul !  canst  thou  not  bear  thine  own  testi- 
mony, that  the  interest  of  God  in  thee,  bears  a 
constant  proportion  to  the  measure  of  thy  faith 
in  Christ  Jesus?  Dost  thou  not  always  find, 
that  when  thy  faith  is  ready  to  fail,  the  good 
u  things  that  remain  are  ready  to  die?"f  And, 
on  the  contrary,  is  thy  heart  ever  so  pure,  and 
thy  life  so  clean,  as  when  thy  faith  is  vigorous 
and  lively  ?  Now,  can  any  thing  be  more  incre- 
dible, than  that  the  Great  God  should  make  use 
of  an  impostor  to  renew  his  own  image  upon 
the  souls  of  men?  1  will  as  soon  believe  any 
absurdity,  as  that  the  most  holy  God  should 
erect  and  support  his  kingdom  in  the  world 
by  a  lie,  and  destroy  the  interest  of  the  devil 
by  arts  and  methods  perfectly  hellish  and  dia- 
bolical. 

Come,  then,  O  my  soul !  "  be  strong  in 
feith,  giving  glory  to  God."J  'Tis  true,  be- 
lieving is  hard  work  ;  but  consider  whence  the 
difficulties  arise  !  from  a  corrupt  heart,  and  a 
malicious  enemy  ;  and  let  this  thought  be  a 
farther  evidence  to  the  credibility  of  the  doc- 

*  Tit.  ii.  11,  12.        f  Rev.  iii.  2.        ±  Rom.  iv.  29. 


)    PARTICIPA'I  ION.  21  1 

trine  of  the  cross.  Why  should  the  disinge- 
nuousness  of  an  evil  heart,  make  such  mighty 
opposition  to  the  work  of  faith  ?  If  it  were  not 
the  work  of  God,  the  enemies  of  God  would 
never  make  such  efforts  to  hinder  it :  Satan 
would  cherish  his  own  creature  ;  the  world 
would  love  its  own  ;  and  the  flesh  would  nexer 
express  such  a  reiuctancy  against  the  gospel,  if 
::  v. ere  not  spiritual  in  its  tendency,  and  divine 
i:i  its  original.  Therefore,  O  my  soul !  let  me 
form  arguments  out  of  difficulties,  and  pave  my 
way  with  the  very  stumbling-blocks  that  arc 
thrown  in  it. 

It  is  indeed  an  astonishing  thought,  that  God 
should  assume  the  human  nature,  and,  in  it  die  : 
"  without  controversy,  great  is  the  mystery  of 
godliness,"  &c.  *  But  let  not  this  stagger  thee. 
Consider  seriously;  that  the  more  awful  and 
surprising  the  mysteries  of  the  gospel  are,  the 
more  likely  they  are  to  be  from  God,  who  can 
scarce  be  supposed  to  declare  any  thing  but 
what  was  extraordinary,  and  out  of  the  reach  of 
unassisted  reason,  with  such  a  solemn  pomp, 
and  train  of  mighty  works,  as  were  wrought  to 
confirm  the  mission  of  our  Lord.  It  would  have 
been  matter  of  suspicion,  if  Ghrist  and  his  dis- 
ciples had  preached  nothing  but  what  the  Pa- 
gan Philosophers  taught,  and  the  Jewish  doc- 
tors owned,  And  it  should  recommend  the 
doctrine  of  Christ  to  a  considering  unpre- 
judiced   mind,    that    it    was    to  the  Jews  "  a 


1  Tim,  iii.  1G. 


212        THE  PREVIOUS   SELF-EXAMINATION,  &C. 

stumbling-block,    and    to  the  Greeks  foolish- 
ness." * 

Are  not  these  things  so?  Come,  then,  O  my 
soul!  believe,  and  be  established.  Believe 
what  Jesus  testifies  to  thee  in  his  holy  ordi- 
nance :  4t  This  is  my  body  broken  for  you  ; 
and  this  is  the  blood  of  the  New  Covenant, 
which  was  shed  for  you,  for  the  remission  of 
sins." 

But,  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  "  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  this  evil  heart  of  unbe- 
lief?" It  is  not  bare  external  evidence,  that 
will  produce  a  divine  faith.  Faith,  I  know,  is 
the  work,  the  mighty  work  of  God,  and  pro- 
duced in  the  heart  by  no  less  power  than  that 
which  "  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead :  it  is 
not  of  ourselves ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God.f 

"  And  therefore,  O  my  God !  I  turn  me  un- 
to thee,  in  whose  hand  my  heart  is,  and  who 
canst  prevail  against  the  united  force  of  my 
confederate  enemies  ;  and  not  only  begin,  but 
carry  on  the  "  work  of  faith  with  power.  I 
believe  :  Lord  !  help  mine  unbelief,"  and  H  per- 
fect that  which  is  lacking  in  my  faith."  Not 
only  propose  the  object,  but  open  my  eyes,  that 
I  may  no  more  question  what  the  Gospel  reveals, 
than  what  my  eyes  see,  (i  that  believing  in  him 
whom  I  do  not  see,  I  may  rejoice  with  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory." 

*  1  Cor.  L  23.  f  Eph.  i.  20.  and  ii.  8. 


[213] 


WITH    WHAT    DISPOSITIONS    AND    IN  WHAT    MANNER 
WE   ARE  TO   PARTAKE. 

*T  Proceed  now  to  consider  with  what  aflfec- 
JL  tions  or  dispositions  we  ought  to  approach 
the  Lord's  Supper,  if  we  would  wish  worthily  to 
partake  of  it.  Upon  these  our  own  comfort,  and 
the  blessings  of  God  also  very  much  depend  : 
for  neither  can  the  elements  of  bread  and  wine 
of  themselves  confer  grace,  nor  the  hand  or  in- 
tention of  the  pastor  or  minister  sanctify  the  of- 
fice. When  the  sinner  is  going  on  in  his  tres- 
passes, as  he  regards  iniquity  in  his  heart,  he 
can  hope  for  no  acceptance  with  God ;  the  Lord 
will  not  hear  him. 

Whatever  was  the  restricted  meaning  of  the 
Corinthians,  eating  and  drinking  unworthily,  it. 
would  be  unreasonable  to  conclude,  that  in  no 
other  sense  could  Christians  now  be  said  to  eat 
and  drink  unworthily.  They  very  probably  ate 
and  drunk  with  intemperance,  pride,  and  un- 
charitableness :  while  one  was  hungry,  another 
was  drunken,  and  treated  their  poor  brethren 
with  contempt,  who  had  no  suppers  of  their 
own,  nor  houses  where  they  might  eat  at  home. 

But  if  we  understand  the  word  worthily,  in 
the  proper  sense,  that  is  suitably  ;  as  the  person 
to  be  remembered  is  possessed  of  so  much  dig- 
nity and  excellence,  and  the  blessings  which  we 
have  received  from  him  very  precious,  to  com- 

*  From  Dr.  Duncan's  Devout  Communicant's  Assistant. 
T   2 


214  WITH   WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND   IN 

mem  orate  him  worthily  or  suitably,  to  the  end 
of  this  institution,  must  include  affections. 
Thus  worthily  to  commemorate  an  act  of  friend- 
ship, or  generosity,  or  benevolence,  implies  our 
having  an  esteem  of  the  person,  and  a  thankful 
sense  of  the  obligation  which  he  laid  on  us.  To 
remember  suitably  a  paient  or  friend  deceased 
or  absent,  always  means  our  having  that  affec- 
tionate sense  of  duty  and  of  friendship  that  is 
worthy  of  such  a  character,  and  of  the  obliga- 
tions which  we  have  received  from  him.  For 
the  same  reason,  to  partake  as  we  ought  of  our 
Lord's  supper,  implies  the  following  sentiments, 
affections,  or  dispositions. 

1.  That  we  partake  of  it  with  faith;  which 
respects  not  only  our  belief  of  the  truth  of  this 
great  event,  the  death  of  Jesus  the  Son  of  God  ; 
but  also  the  end  of  his  death,  and  our  making 
application  to  it. 

A  person  who  comes  to  the  Lord's  table 
ought,  in  reason,  to  be  as  firmly  persuaded  of 
the  truth  of  the  death  of  Christ,  as  the  beloved 
disciple  was  when  he  stood  by  the  cross  and  saw 
him  crucified,  and  his  side  pierced  with  a  spear ; 
or  as  the  Apostle  Thomas  was,  when  with  his 
fingers  he  felt  in  Christ's  hands  and  his  feet  the 
print  of  the  nails  wherewith  he  had  been  fasten- 
ed to  the  cross,  and  thrust  his  hand  into  the 
wounds  made  in  his  side  by  the  spear. 

We  must  in  like  manner  believe  the  end  of 
Christ's  death ;  not  only  that  he  died  as  our 
master,  to  witness  a  good  confession,  and  ratify 
his  doctrine,  and- as  a  King  to  lay  a  foundation 


WHAT   MANNER   WE   ARE  TO   PARTAKL.  215' 

for  his  kingdom  in  his  sufferings  ;  but  also,  that 
he  laid  clown  his  life  as  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins,  and  is  employed  in  heaven  in  making  in- 
tercession for  us.  For,  it  is  certain,  the  whole 
strain  of  the  New  Testament  considers  the  death 
of  Christ  as  a  proper  sacrifice  for  sin  ;  that  is, 
makes  mention  of  his  sufferings  as  a  considera- 
tion for  which  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  God 
have  thought  fit  to  grant  forgiveness  to  the  peni- 
tent. John  Baptist  laid  clown  his  life,  or,  in  a 
very  eminent  manner,  suffered  in  support  of  his 
doctrine  ;  as  did  the  holy  martyr  Stephen,  and 
the  apostle  James,  the  brother  of  John,  also  suf- 
fered in  confirmation  of  those  truths  and  that 
doctrine  which  they  preached  ;  and  yet  no  writer 
of  the  New  Testament  ever  called  the  death  of 
any  of  these  eminent  and  worthy  persons,  a  sa- 
crifice or  propitiation  for  sin. 

The  particular  employment  of  fdith.  at  the 
Lord's  table,  is,  with  the  consent  of  the  heart, 
thankfully  to  accept  and  ratify,  on  our  part,  the 
terms  of  mercy  published  through  the  death  of 
Christ ;  and  there  to  make  application  to  God 
for  the  pardon  of  sin,  for  the  sake  of  the  death  of 
which  we  then  commemorate.  For  "the  blood 
"  of  Jesus  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.  Jesus  Christ 
a  is  the  same  yesterday,  to  day,  and  for  ever ;" 
as  mighty  to  save  us  now,  as  if  we  had  made 
application  to  him  while  bleeding  on  the  cross. 
;i  He  is  able  to  save  to  the  very  uttermost,  all 
"  that  come  to  God  through  him,  seeing  he  ever 
iC  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them." 

When  devout  persons  do  thus,  with  faith  in 


216  WITH   WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IN 

the  death  of  Christ,  with  holy  contrition  and  sor- 
row for  sin,  and  sincere  purposes  of  amend- 
ment, make  application  at  the  Lord's  table  for 
the  forgiveness  of  past  transgressions,  they  have 
great  reason  to  hope  that  they  shall  obtain  it. 

2.  We  ought  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
with  love  and  thanksgiving,  for  the  great  bless- 
ings brought  to  us  by  the  death  of  Christ. 

Great  blessings  require  suitable  returns  and 
expressions  of  gratitude.  The  Jews,  when  they 
celebrated  the  passover,  were  wont  to  sing  a 
hymn  of  praise,  called  by  them  the  Great  Hallel, 
or  Hallelujah,  in  thanksgiving  to  God,  who  had 
in  so  remarkable  a  manner  delivered  their  fore- 
fathers from  the  devouring  angel,  and  from  the 
slavery  and  oppression  of  Egypt.  With  much 
juster  reason  ought  the  disciples  of  Christ  to 
commemorate  with  praise  and  thanksgiving,  the 
great  salvation  which  he  hath  brought  us  by  his 
death,  from  more  terrible  evils,  of  which  the 
deliverance  out  of  Egypt  was  but  a  faint  em- 
blem. For,  by  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  the  peni- 
tent is  delivered  from  the  guilt  and  dominion  of 
sin,  from  the  fear  of  death,  and  the  power  of  Sa- 
tan, as  well  as  from  the  dread  of  eternal  misery  ; 
enemies  far  more  dreadful  than  the  Egyptian 
task-masters,  or  Pharaoh  and  all  his  host.  On 
this  account,  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  ancient 
times,  was  called  the  Eucharist ',  or  the  feast  of 
thanksgiving. 

Proper,  therefore,  it  surely  is,  on  such  an  oc- 
casion, that  our  hearts  be  filled  with  gratitude, 
and  our  mouths  with  praise. 


WHAT  MANNER   WE   ARE  TO  PARTAKE.  21  7 

To  God  the  Father,  who,  as  original  Judge, 
and  Sovereign  of  the  World,  did,  of  his  own 
goodness,  remit  the  punishment  which  he  might 
justly  have  executed  on  us  sinners  ;  and  in  mer- 
cy sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  cur 
sins. 

To  the  Son  also  ought  we  to  ascribe  thanks- 
giving and  praise,  even  as  we  honour  the  Fa- 
ther ;  that  he  so  cheerfully  undertook  the  im- 
portant work  of  our  salvation,  and  behaved  with 
so  much  affection  and  constancy  in  it ;  bore  so 
much  contradiction  of  sinners  against  himself, 
yet  neither  failed,  nor  was  discouraged,  till  the 
great  end  of  his  coming  was  accomplished. 

If  temporal  favours,  whose  nature  is  perishing 
and  unsatisfactory,  claim  returns  of  duty  and 
gratitude,  how  much  stronger  a  sense  of  love 
and  praise  ought  to  possess  our  hearts  at  the 
remembrance  of  the  unspeakable  gift  of  God  ? 
On  such  occasions  it  well  becometh  us  to  be- 
stir every  tender,  every  devout  and  grateful  af- 
fection of  our  souls,  saying,  in  the  language  of 
the  psalmist ;  H  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and 
•*  all  that  is  within  me  bless  his  holy  name,  and 
"  forget  not  all  his  benefits  ;  who  forgiveth  all 
"  thine  iniquities,  who  healeth  all  thy  diseases, 
li  who  crowneth  thee  with  loving  kindnesses 
11  and  tender  mercies.'' 

3.  Sorrow  for  past  sins,  and  sincere  purpose 
of  amendment.  Repentance  is  an  indispensable 
condition  of  our  forgiveness.  It  consists  in  ge- 
nuine confession  of  our  sins,  in  contrition  and 
sorrow  for  them,  and  purposes,  by  the  grace  of 


218  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IN 

God,  wherein  we  have  done  iniquity,  that  we 
will  do  no  more.  Yet,  according  to  the  terms 
of  the  gospel,  nothing  is  esteemed  true  repent- 
ance, but  that  which  issues  in  change  of  life 
and  conversation.  The  best  proof  to  our  own 
hearts  that  our  profession  of  repentance  is  sin- 
cere, will  be  our  afterwards  bringing  forth  the 
fruit  of  righteousness. 

We  commemorate  the  death  of  Christ  as  the 
only  ground  of  our  hope  of  that  forgiveness 
which  is  published  to  the  penitent.  And,  when 
wre  compare  ourselves  with  his  death,  and  re- 
member what  strict  obligations  it  layeth  on  us 
to  depart  from  iniquity  ;  and,  at  the  same  time, 
consider  how  far  we  have  come  short  of  that 
justice,  goodness,  or  purity  which  the  law  of 
God  requires,  and  to  which  we  are  bound  as 
the  disciples  of  Jesus:  this  will  shew  us  with 
how  good  reason  sorrow  ought  to  fill  our  hearts, 
for  having  so  ill  requited  his  love. 

In  this  view,  it  well  becometh  us  to  take  up 
the  words  of  the  penitent  prodigal,  "  I  will  arise 
"  and  go  to  my  Father,  and  say  unto  him,  Fa- 
"  ther,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven  and  in  thy 
i;  sight,  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  caiied 
"  thy  son;"  and  tp  acknowledge,  that  if  God 
should  strictly  "  mark  iniquity,"  or  plead  against 
us  the  breaches  of  our  covenant,  we,  on  our  part, 
have  forfeited  all  the  blessings  of  it.  As  the  re- 
view of  our  past  lives  ought  justly  to  fill  us  with 
sorrow  and  dread  of  punishment  on  account  of 
our  sins,  it  well  becomes  us  to  deprecate  the 
Wrath  of  God,  and  implore  forgiveness  of  our 


"WHAT  MANNER  WE  ARE  TO  PARTAKE.         219 

transgressions,  and,  in  sight  of  the  cross  of 
Christ,  to  renew  our  engagements  to  watch 
against  sin  more  carefully,  and  to  "  walk  before 
*;  him  in  holiness  and  righteousness,  all  the 
"  days  of  our  life." 

The  particular  test  of  the  sincerity  of  those 
resolutions  will  be  our  vowing  and  striving 
against  "  the  sin  that  doth  most  easily  beset  us." 
This  is  indeed  "  purging  out  the  old  leaven, 
"  that  we  may  keep  the  feast  with  the  unleaven- 
"  ed  bread  of  sincerity  and  truth." 

4.  The  Lord's  Supper  ought  to  be  celebrated 
with  love  and  charity,  maintaining  communion 
with  all,  who,  in  every  piace  call  upon  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  with  credible  sincerity. 

This  is  too  generally  misunderstood  :  for, 
many  look  on  communicating  as  a  mark  of  their 
party,  not  as  an  evidence  of  their  being  Chris- 
tians ;  and,  whenever  any  small  difference  in 
opinions  arises,  all  angry  weak  men  are  earnest 
to  add  exclusive  articles  of  faith,  and  straiten 
the  terms  of  communion,  so  as  to  seclude  from 
the  fellowship  of  the  saints  others  who  really 
believe  in  Christ,  and  are,  in  the  general  course 
of  their  lives,  serious  and  unblameable.  This 
is,  indeed,  shutting  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
against  men. 

Yet  nothing  is  more  inculcated  by  our  holy 
religion  than  this  charity,  which  is  the  badge  of 
Christ's  disciples.  Therein  we  are  taught,  that 
Christ  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  not  for 
ours  only,  but  for  those  also  of  the  whole  world  ; 
that  he  is  to  redeem  to  himsell  a  glorious  church 


220  WITH  WHAT    DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IN 

out  of  every  kindred,  tongue,  people,  and  na- 
tion:  that  all,  who  in  every  place  call  on  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  hold  communion 
with  him  as  the  head,  are  members  of  that 
Church,  which  is  his  body ;  and,  as  redeemed 
by  the  same  precious  blood,  partakers  of  the 
same  grace,  sanctified  by  the  same  Holy  Spirit, 
and  heirs  of  the  same  eternal  inheritance,  all  the 
real  members  of  that  church,  have  communion 
one  with  another. 

Christians  therefore,  when  they  commemo- 
rate the  death  of  Christ,  the  head,  ought  to  do  it, 
professing  love  and  charity  for  all  the  members 
of  the  body.  This  is  maintaining  the  "  unity  of 
"  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  as  there  is 
"  one  body  and  one  spirit ;  one  Lord,  one  faith, 
"  one  baptism,  one  God,  and  Father  of  all,  who 
"  is  through  all,  above  all,  and  in  us  all."  Thus 
the  apostle  expresses  this  communion  :  "  We 
being  many  are  one  body,  and*  one  bread,  for 
we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  bread."* 

In  a  special  manner  ought  every  one,  who 
approaches  to  the  Lord's  table,  to  do  it  in  terms 
of  forgiveness  with  all  men,  as  the  gospel  hath 
made  our  forgiveness  of  others  a  necessary  con- 
dition of  our  own  acceptance  with  God.  "  If 
"  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and  remem- 
"  berest  that  thy  brother  hath  ought  against  thee, 
"  leave  thy  gift  before  the  altar,  go  thy  way,  first 
"  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then  come 
u  and  offer  thy  gift." — "  But  if  ye  forgive  not 

*  1  Cor.  x.  \7. 


WHAT  MANNiiR    \VY.   AKil  TO   PARTAKE*         221 

k'  men  their  trespasses,  neither  will  your  Father 
"  forgive  your  trespasses."! 

5.  With  sincerity.  This  the  apostle  calls 
<•  drawing  near  with  a  true  heart,"  and  "  keep- 
"  ing  the  feast  with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sin- 
"  cerity  and  truth." 

A  person  may  be  said  to  be  sincere,  when  his 
motives  are  single,  and  his  outward  conduct,  in 
word  and  action,  agreeable  to  the  sense  and  per- 
suasion of  his  heart.  This,  instead  of  being  one 
virtue,  or  particular  good  disposition,  is  rather 
what  animates  and  influences  all  the  virtues  of 
the  Christian  life,  and  gives  worth  to  every  part 
of  a  good  character.  Sincerity  makes  our  pro- 
fessions of  friendship  to  be  relied  on  by  men, 
and  renders  our  piety  acceptable  before  in  God 
Christ.  The  want  of  it,  or  hypocrisy,  infects  the 
whole  of  a  man's  religious  conduct,  and  renders 
it  an  abomination  to  him  that  seeth  the  heart. 
Thus  the  Pharisees  made  great  noise  about  re- 
ligion ;  but  their  hearts  were  not  right  with 
God :  while  without  they  were  as  whited  sepul- 
chres, within  they  were  full  of  putrefaction  and 
rottenness. 

That  sincerity  wherewith  we  ought  to  cele- 
brate  the  Lord's  Supper  implies,  that  our  faith 
in  Christ  be  unfeigned,  and  our  outward  pro- 
fession consistent  with  the  inward  persuasion  of 
our  minds  :  that  our  motives  are  upright  in  par- 
taking of  it.  That  is  to  say,  that  we  are  per- 
suaded that  the  gospel  is  the  wisdom  of  God, 


Matt.  v.  23.  vi.  1J. 

u 


222  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IN 

and  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation;  that  Christ 
crucified  is  the  only  propitiation  for  sin.  We 
come  to  his  table,  to  make  open  profession  of 
this  belief.  We  set  to  our  seal  to  this,  that  God 
is  true,  and  declare  that  we  hope  for  salvation 
through  him  alone,  whom  <jod  hath  sent.  For 
as  "  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righ- 
"  teousness,"  so  V  with  the  mouth  confession  is 
"made  unto  salvation." 

Our  motives,  in  so  doing,  ought  to  be,  that 
we  may  approve  ourselves  unto  God ;  express 
our  gratitude  for  his  unspeakable  gift ;  manifest 
our  love  to  Christ,  who  Joved  us,  and  gave  him- 
self to  the  death  for  us ;  to  contribute  what  we 
can,  that  the  memory  of  his  love  may  be  pre- 
served in  the  world  to  generations  yet  to  come, 
and  a  powerful  and  abiding  sense  of  it  cultivated 
in  our  own  hearts,  that  we -may  thereby  be  made 
more  conformable  unto  his  death. 

Our  love  to  God  is  sincere,  when  our  constant 
endeavour  is  to  approve  ourselves  to  him,  and 
our  desire,  carefully  to  avoid  whatever  would 
offend  him. 

Our  repentance  or  sorrow  for  sin  is  sincere, 
when  we  purpose  fervently  to  watch  against  all 
temptations,  with  no  secret  reserve  afterward  to 
return  to  the  commission  of  any  sin.  To  such 
persons,  who,  with  these  dispositions,  draw  near 
to  this  ordinance,  we  may  say,  .in  the  words  of 
the  Psalmist :  "  He  that  hath  clean  hands  and  a 
"pure  heart,  'who  hath  not  lift  up  his  soul  to 
"  vanity,  nor  sworn  deceitfully,  he  shall  receive 


WHAT  MANNER  WE   ARE  TO   PARTAKE.         223 

u  the  blessing  from  the  Lord,  and  righteousness 
H  from  the  God  of  his  salvation.*" 

It  will  be  proper  to  observe,,  ere  we  leave  this 
part  of  the  subject,  that,  when  we  speak  of  dis- 
positions requisite  to  communicate  worthily,  the 
meaning  is  not  as  if  we  could  acquire  them  on- 
ly for  this  end,  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper; 
neither  does  it  mean  that  every  one  can  possess 
them  in  an  equal  degree,  or  that  no  person 
should  come  to  the  Lord's  table  who  is  convin- 
ced that  he  does  not  possess  them  all :  but  the 
meaning  is,  that  these  are  the  dispositions  and 
characters  of  good  Christians.  Every  one  ought 
to  endeavour  to  acquire  them,  and  not  neglect 
to  partake  of  the  Sacrament,  because  he  has  not 
yet  fully  attained  them ;  but  should  devoutly 
employ  this  ordinance  as  a  mean  to  acquire  and 
perfect  all  those  holy  affections,  that  may  render 
him  worthy  of  communion  with  God  in  this 
world,  or  meet  for  the  enjoyment  of  him  in  hea- 
ven. 

He  alone  can  relish  the  pleasures  of  friend- 
ship who  in  some  degree,  is  possessed  of  senti  • 
ments  and  dispositions  of  friendship ;  yet  both 
sentiments  and  dispositions  may  be  greatly  cul- 
tivated and  improved  by  mutual  intercourse  of 
affection  and  good  offices.  In  like  manner,  the 
pure  and  unmixed  delight  that  accompanies  a 
devout  and  religious  life,  is  only  found  of  them 
that  take  pleasure  therein :  but  these  joys  may 
be  greatly  heightened,  and  our  relish  of  them 


Psalm  xxiv.  4,  5. 


224  VJITU  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IN 

increased,  by  a  diligent  and  careful  use  of  the 
means  of  grace.  "  Then  shall  I  praise  thee," 
said  the  Psalmist,  "  with  uprightness  of  heart, 
"  when  I  have  learned  thy  judgments." 

*  IT  should  be  our  concern,  to  let  none  of  that 
time  run  to  waste,  which  we  spend  in  the  house 
of  our  God,  but  to  improve  every  minute  of  it 
to  some  good  purpose.  And  as  to  the  spaces, 
or  intervals,  that  may  be  between  one  ordinance 
and  another,  it  will  be  proper  to  fill  them  up  with 
pious  thoughts  and  ejaculations.  This  may  be 
a  means  to  render  those  ordinances,  that  are  over, 
the  more  useful  to  us,  and  to  prepare  us  for  such 
as  w  e  are  to  be  found  in.  As  soon  therefore,  as 
the  rest  of  the  public  worship  is  ended,  you  may 
speak  to  yourselves  in  some  such  language  as 
this. 

"  Now  the  Lord  furnisheth  a  table  for  us  in 
i;  his  house,  and  setteth  thereon  the  choicest 
li  dainties.  There  will  be  bread,  which  strength - 
"  eneth  man's  heart,  and  wine,  that  maketh  it 
c'  glad  ;  bread  which  came  down  from  Heaven, 
"  that  a  man  may  eat  thereof  and  not  die  ;  wine, 
'<  which  whosoever  drink eth,  hath  eternal  life. 

il  There  the  crucified  Jesus,  and  all  the  bless- 
"  ed  fruits  of  his  sufferings  and  death,  will  be  set 
"  before  us.  And  behold!  though  vile,  andsin- 
'»  ful,  and  utterly  unworthy  of  such  a  favour,  I 
"  am  invited  to  be  a  guest!  The  Spirit  and  the 
"  bride  say  come,  and  let  him  that  heareth  say 

*  From  Dr.  Owen's  discourses  on  the  Lord's  Supper. 


vVHAT  MANNER  WE   ARE  TO  PARTAKE.         £25 

;,come,  and  let  him  that  is  athirst  come  ;  and 
"  whosoever  will,  let  him  freely  take  of  this  spiri- 
l<  tual  provision.  With  what  satisfaction,  delight 
"  and  joy  ;  with  what  admiration  of  the  love  of 
i l  God  in  Christ;  and  with  what  thankfulness 
"  and  praise  shouldest  thou,  O  my  soul,  accept 
"  of  the  invitation  ! 

"  Oh  !  may  I  be  aright  prepared  for  this  feast, 
H  When  the  king  shall  come  in  to  see  the  guests, 
"  let  me  not  be  found  without  a  wedding  gar- 
'"ment.  Forbid  it,  O  Lord,  that  I  should  ea: 
"and  drink  at  thy  table,  in  token  of  friendship 
"  with  thee,  and  secretly  purpose  to  go  on  in  sin 
"and  rebellion  against  thee.  Give  me  to  be 
"  found  in  all  the  duties  now  incumbent  on  me  ; 
"  and  to  hunger  and  thirst  after  all  the  good 
"things  thou  hast  prepared  forme.  And  O 
"  bless  me  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heaven- 
'•'ly  places  in  Christ.  On  his  grace  I  depend 
'•'  for  assistance  ;  I  trust  to  his  merits  foraccep- 
"tance." 

And  now  being  come  to  the  table,  and  look- 
ing on  the  bread,  and  on  the  cup,  let  them  lead 
your  thoughts  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  fix  them 
on  him  as  one,  who  came  from  heaven  that  he 
might  give  his  flesh,  and  shed  his  blood  for  the 
life  of  the  world. 

"  Although  thou  hast  sinned,  O  my  soul!  and 
by  sin  destroyed  thyself,  yet  there  is  hope.  In 
God  is  thine  help.  He  has  laid  help  on  one  that 
is  mighty;  mighty  to  save.  In  this  was  mani- 
fested the  love  of  God  towards  us,  because  he 
sent  his  oniv  begotten  Son  into  the  world,  that 
v  2 


226  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IX 

we  might  live  through  him.  Behold  what  man- 
ner of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us  ! 

iC  He  spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned  ;  but 
cast  them  down  to  hell;  and  delivered  them 
into  chains  of  darkness  to  be  reserved  unto  judg- 
ment. The  Son  of  God  did  not  come  from 
heaven  with  a  design  to  take  hold  on  them,  or 
help  and  save  them,  no,  but  with  a  view  to  our 
salvation  ;  and  took  part  of  our  flesh  and  blood, 
that  he  might  deliver  us  from  all  the  evils,  which 
our  sins  had  brought  upon  us,  and  raise  us  up 
to  endless  bliss  and  glory. 

"  Hosannah  to  the  Son  of  David  ;  Blessed  is 
he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Ho- 
sannah in  the  highest.  God  is  the  Lord  which 
hath  shewed  us  light.  Thou  art  my  God,  and 
I  will  praise  thee.  Thou  art  my  God,  I  will 
exalt  thee.  O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord  ;  for 
he  is  good,  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever. 
Come,  and  let  us  offer  the  sacrifice  of  praise  unto 
God,  the  fruit  of  our  lips,  and  call  upon  his 
name.  Let  the  heart  qf  them  rejoice  that  seek 
him,  seek  the  Lord  and  his  strength;  seek  his 
face  for  evermore;  remember  his  marvellous 
works  that  he  hath  done." 

Who  knows  but  that  while  engaged  in  such 
exercises  as  these,  your  hearts  may  grow  warm 
within  you  :  while  you  are  thus  musing,  the 
sacred  fire  of  devotion  may  be  kindled  in  your 
breasts.  This  is  certainly  a  very  proper  means 
to  prepare  our  minds  for  those  public  prayers 
and  thanksgivings  in  which  every  communicant 
is  to  join  ;  and  as  when  these  are  over,  the  next 


.'.  HAT  MANNER  WE  ARE  TO  PARTAKE.         227 

thing  to  be  attended  to,  is  the  breaking  of  the 
bread;  so  this  rite  setting  Christ  before  us  as 
suffering  and  dying  for  us,  we  may  spend  the 
time  it  takes  up  in  thus  speaking  within  our- 

I  es. 

*'  Thou  art  now,  O  my  soul,  to  fix  thine  eye 
on  the  blessed  Jesus,  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory, 
suffering  and  dying  for  thee.  This  he  did  now 
more  than  seventeen  hundred  years  ago,  and  he 
has  instituted  this  rite,  the  breaking  of  this  bread, 
to  preserve  the  memory  of  it ;  and  it  now  pre- 
sents it  to  thy  thoughts.  Lord  help  me  to  turn 
aside  and  see  this  great  sight ;  may  I  view  it  on 
all  sides :  view  it  thoroughly,  and  with  a  be- 
coming temper.  What  more  amazing  !  what 
more  affecting! 

"  See  here  a  righteous  and  innocent  person. 
given  up  into  the  power  of  his  blood-thirsty  ene- 
mies, to  be  crucified  and  slain  by  their  wicked 
hands,  as  if  he  had  been  the  vilest  of  malefac- 
tors ;  nay,  see  here,  the  only  begotten  Son  of 
God  bruised,  and  put  to  grief  by  his  beloved 
Father. 

'<  Who  can  say  how  great  his  sufferings  were! 
what  an  agony  was  he  in  when  he  prayed  again 
and  again  unto  God.  with  strong  crying  and 
tears,  "  O  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this 
cup  pass  from  me;  nevertheless  not  as  I  will, 
but  as  thou  wilt :"  and  when  he  was  so  depress- 
ed with  sorrow  and  amazement;  when  such  was 
the  distress  and  anguish  of  his  soul,  that  iiis 
sweat  ran  from  him  like  great  drops  of  blood  ! 


228  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND   IN 

44  How  shall  we  account  for  these  sufferings 
of  the  Holy  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  his  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  he  was  well  pleased !  Where  were 
the  bowels  of  his  Father  !  nay,  where  his  jus- 
tice !  The  scripture  answers,  God  commendeth 
his  love  towards  us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet 
sinners,  Christ  died  for  us  *.  He  spared  not  his 
own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all  f. 
And  this  he  might  do  without  any  injustice,  or 
want  of  affection  to  him ;  for  Christ  also  hath 
loved  us,  and  hath  given  himself  for  us,  an  of- 
fering, and  a  sacrifice  to  God,  for  a  sweet  smell- 
ing savour  J. 

"  See  then,  O  my  soul,  this  love  of  God,  this 
grace  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Lord,  give 
me  to  know  more  of  this  grace;  raise  in  me  the 
highest  thoughts  of  this  love.  Oh  !  may  I  feel 
that  it  constraineth  me  henceforth  to  live,  not 
unto  ni}  self,  but  unto  him  that  died  for  me, 
and  rose  again." 

And  now  the  bread  being  broken,  it  is  next 
presented  to  the  communicants,  and  the  words 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  are  repeated,  Take,  eat,  this 
is  my  body  which  is  given  and  broken  for  you. 
This  may  lead  us  to  add  as  follows. 

"  \\  hat  words  do  I  hear  !  with  what  mournful 
pleasure  should  I  receive  them  !  Is  not  this  the 
same  as  if  the  blessed  Jesus  were  saying  unto  thee, 
O  my  soul!  Let  all  thy  fears  and  doubts,  of  the 
forgiveness  ofbin  through  my  sufferings  and  death> 
immediately  vanish  ;  and  know,  assuredly,  that 


*  Rom.  v.  8.         f  char)  viti.  S3.        $  Eph.  v. 


WHAT  MANNER  WE   ARE  TO  PARTAKE.         229 

as  my  body  was  given  and  broken  upon  the  cross* 
so  it  was  for  thee  that  this  was  done  ;  for  thee  I 
suffered;  for  thee  I  was  crucified  :  for  thy  good  ; 
for  thy  salvation :  And  I  am  willing,  heartily 
willing,  to  be  thy  Saviour.  "  To  this  end  I  was 
born,  and  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the  wrorld, 
and  made  my  soul  an  offering  for  sin."  And 
I  now  give  thee  this  bread,  the  symbol  of  my 
body  given  and  broken  for  thee,  in  token  of  my 
calling  on  thee  to  look  to  me,  with  hope  and  joy, 
for  all  the  blessed  fruits  of  my  sufferings  and 
death  :  4t  be  not  faithless,  but  believing." 

"  And  surely  it  will  become  thee  to  say,  in 
"■  return,  Lord,  I  believe,  help  thou  mine  unbe- 
"  lief.  Mine  iniquities  testify  against  me,  and 
"  my  transgressions,  which  have  been  multiple 
*'  ed.  Ah,  how  have  1  despised  the  command - 
';  ments  of  God,  and  done  evil  in  his  sight.  It 
•'  is  of  his  mercies,  that  I  am  not  consumed* 
"But  why  should  the  sense  of  my  sins  cause 
"my  heart  to  despair,  when  thou,  O  blessed 
i4  Jesus,  the  hope  of  Israel,  and  the  Saviour  there - 
'*  of,  callest  to  all  the  ends  of  the  earth,  to  look 
"  unto  thee,  that  they  may  be  saved  ;  *,  to  come 
"  unto  thee,  that  they  may  have  rest  .f 

"  Encouraged  therefore,  not  only  by  thy 
"  word,  but  by  this  sensible  pledge  of  thy  fa- 
"  vour,  which  thou  here  givest  me,  I  now  fly  to 
"  thee  as  my  Saviour.  In  thee  alone  I  trust: 
"  Lord,  save  me,  or  I  perish.  To  thee  I  now 
"  look  for  repentance,  and  the  forgiveness  of  all 

*  Isa.  xlv.  22.         j  W»tt.  xi 


230  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND   IN 

*c  my  sins  ;  for  a  righteousness  to  justify  me  ; 
•*  for  thy  Spirit  to  sanctify  me ;  for  reconcilia- 
"  tion  and  peace  with  God,  and  all  the  blessings 
'•  thou  hast  purchased. 

"  To  thee  I  now  solemnly  and  heartily  devote 
*f  myself.  Lord,  I  am  thine  ;  fully  resolved,  in 
"  an  human  dependence  on  thy  grace,  to  spend 
"  all  my  days  in  thy  service  :  and  I  now  take, 
"  and  eat  this  bread,  in  token  of  my  acknowledg- 
"  ing  thee  as  my  Lord,  and  of  my  trusting  and 
ii  hoping  in  thee  as  my  Saviour." 

If  there  be  any  time  between  the  receiving  of 
the  bread,  and  the  other  part  of  this  ordinance, 
it  may  be  employed  in  some  such  thoughts  as 
these : 

"  Thou  hast  now  named  the  name  of  Christ, 
'  let  it  be  thy  care,  O  my  soul !  to  depart  from 
'  all  iniquity.     Like  one  of  his  familiar  friends, 

*  thou  hast  been  eating  of  his  bread,  give  proof 
'  of  thy  loving  him,  by  keeping  his  command- 
1  ments.  Be  concerned  to  approve  thyself  to 
1  him,  as  his  disciple  indeed,  by  continuing  in 
'  his  word,  living  in  his  service.     Let  thy  con- 

*  versation  be  as  it  becometh  his  gospel ;  so  as 
'  to  adorn  this  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in 
1  all  things.  As  thou  hast  received  Christ  Jesus 
'  the  Lord,  so  walk  in  him,  rooted,  and  built 
'  up  in   him,  and  established  in  the  faith,  a- 

*  bounding  therein  with  thanksgiving.  O  may- 
<  est  thou  never  forget  that  he  is  thy  Lord,  but 
6  daiiy  worship  and  serve  him.  Always  re- 
;  member  that  he  is  thy  Saviour :  the  life  which 
'  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  J  live  by  the  faith  of 


WHAT  MANNER  WE  ARE  TO  PARTAKE.         231 

;-  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  him- 
"  self  for  me. 

"  O  Lord  !  do  thou  enable  me  to  maintain  a 
Xi  constant  dependence  on  thy  grace,  and  grant 
"  that  I  may  find  it  sufficient  for  me  in  all  diffi- 
"  culties  and  trials.  O  thou  blessed  Jesus  !  thou 
-"almighty  Saviour!  keep  that  which  I  have 
<;  committed  unto  thee  against  that  day.  Pray 
u  for  me,  that  my  faith  may  never  fail !  Lord, 
"  increase  and  strengthen  it :  perfect  that  which 
"  is  lacking  in  it.  Fulfil  all  the  good  pleasure 
li  of  thy  goodness,  and  the  work  of  faith  with 
u  power.  May  ks  actings  be  more  vigorous 
**<  and  lively,  in  the  remaining  part  of  this  duty, 
"  than  they  have  been  in  that  which  is  now  over. 
4i  Mine  eyes  are  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  have  mer- 
"  cy  upon  me." 

Our  meditations  and  ejaculations,  relating  to 
the  cup,  should  be  suitable  to  the  several  things 
that  our  Lord  observed,  as  he  presented  it  to  his 
disciples;  as  that  it  is  the  symbol  of  his  blood, 
which  he  shed  for  us,  for  the  remission  of  sins; 
that  this  blood,  of  which  the  cup  is  the  appoint- 
ed symbol,  is  the  blood  of  the  new  covenant ; 
and  that  agreeably  to  this,  the  cup  is  also  to  be 
considered  as  the  token  and  seal  of  this  cove- 
nant, in  Christ's  blood,  both  on  God's  part  and 
on  ours. 

The  considering  the  cup,  as  representing  the 
blood  of  Jesus  shed  for  us,  and  for  many,  for 
the  remission  of  sins,  "  that  whosoever  believ- 
u  eth,  through  him  might  be  saved,"  may  leatf 
us  to  express  our  thoughts  in  such  words  a^ 
these  : 


232  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IN 

"  Thou  art  now  again,  O  my  soul!  to  view 
c  the  crucified  Jesus  ;  for  he  is  again  evidently 

•  set  forth  before  thine  eyes,  as  crucified  among 
'  us.    Behold  the  price   of  thy  redemption,  the 

<  forgiveness  of  thy  sins;  not  corruptible  things, 
4  as  silver  and  gold,  but  the  precious  blood  of 
'  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish,  and 
'  without  spot.  How  great  is  that  salvation, 
'  which  was  purchased  by  the  Son  of  God  at 

•  so  dear  a  rate  !  how  shall  I  escape  if  I  neglect 

•  it ! 

"  But  be  not  cast  down.  O  my  soul !  why 

•  shouldst  thou  fear,  and  not  hope  in  the  Sa- 
{  viour  of  all  men,  even  of  every  one  who  belie- 

<  vcth,  when  he  assureth  thee,  that  he  suffered 
'  and  died  for  thee,  and  again  calleth  on  thee  to 
'  look  to  him  for  all  the  blessed  fruits  of  his 
i  sufferings  and  death  ;  nay,  again  presenteth 
'  them  unto  thee  ! 

"  Do  not  forget  that  he  who  was  delivered  for 
'  thine  offences,  was  raised  again  for  thy  justi- 
'  fication  ;  and  that,  as  by  his  blood,  that  biood 
'  which  he  shed  for  the  remission  of  thy  sins, 

•  he  entered  into  the  'holy  place,  heaven  itself, 

•  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for 
6  thee ;  so  he  is  able  to  save  them  to  the  ut- 
'  termost,   that  come  unto  God  by   him,  see- 

•  ing  he  ever  iiveth  to  make  intercession  for 
»  them." 

"  O  may  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
c  the  Father  of  glory,  enlighten  the  eyes  of  my 
'  understanding,  that  I  may  know  what  is  the 
'  hope  of  his  calling ;  what  the  exceeding  richer 


w  it  a t  'm a n N r.£.  we  are  to  partai:l.      £ 3 Z 

*•  of  his  grace,  in  his  kindness  towards  me 
"  through  Jesus  Christ ;  how  very  desirable 
f<  that  blessedness  is,  which  is  now  set  before 
'•'  me. 

"  Had  no  more  been  said  of  the  blood  of  Jesus? 
"  than  that  it  was  shed  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
"  it  might  have  been  thought,  that  the  being 
"  saved  from  wrath  through  him,  is  all  I  am  to 
il  look  for.  But  how  shouldst  thou  wonder,  O 
"  my  soul !  at  the  gracious  words  which  pro- 
*•'  ceeded  out  of  his  mouth  !  This  is  ?ny  blood 
"  of  the  new  covenant :  words  evidently  design- 
u  ed  to  encourage  thy  hopes  of  the  sum  of  all 
••  blessedness,  the  having  the  Lord  for  thy  God, 
*•  in  covenant  with  thee. 

"  And  now  thou  art  not  merely  to  view,  but 
u  receive  Christ  by  faith,  as  having  once  suffer- 
(i  ed  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he 
"  might  bring  thee  to  God ;  that  God,  of  an 
'*  enemy,  might  be  thy  friend  ;  that  his  covenant 
'•'  of  life  and  peace  might  be  with  thee  ;  that  all 
■•'  the  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises  in 
*•  in  his  word,  promises  of  the  life  that  now  is, 
81  and  of  that  which  is  to  come,  might  be  thy 
*'  portion.  In  Christ  they  are  yea,  and  in  him, 
'•amen;    ratified  and  confirmed   by  his  blood. 

"  Now  thou  art  to  look  up  to  God  in  the  hea- 
••  vens,  as  sitting  en  the  throne  of  his  grace, 
kl  holding  out  the  golden  sceptre,  inviting  thee 
••'  to  draw  near,  and  in  how  condescending,  how 
"  kind,  and  moving  a  manner!  incline  thine  ear; 
,$  come  unto  me  ;  hear,  and  thou  shalt  live,  and 

X 


234  WITH  WHAT   DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IN 

'•'  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  thee. 
■'•'  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David.* 

*'  Be  astonished,  O  ye  heavens,  at  this  !  let 
'•'  angels,  as  well  as  saints,  stand  amazed  at  the 
u  love  of  God,  in  giving  his  Son  ;  and  the  love 
"  of  Christ,  in  giving  himself  to  suffer  and  die 
"  that  we  might  partake  of  this  blessedness.  Oh 
u  how  rich  is  God  in  mercy  !  how  great  is  the 
u  love  wherewith  he  hath  loved  us!  how  ex- 
'•'  ceeding  abundant  is  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Je- 
*'  sus  Christ!  shouldst  thou  not  love  him  who 
u  first  loved  thee  ! 

"  What  is  there,  O  my  soul !  of  greater  im- 
*'4  portance  than  this,  the  having  God's  covenant 
'*  with  thee.  Thy  life  ;  thy  all ;  thy  peace  and 
■ii  comfort,  in  this  world,  and  eternal  blessedness 
"  in  the  other  depend  upon  it.  Happy  is  he  that 
u  hath  the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help  ;  whose 
u  hope  is  in  the  Lord  his  God,  who  made  hea- 
"  ven,  earth,  and  sea,  and  all  that  is  therein  ; 
"  who  keepeth  truth,  and  shall  reign  for  ever, 
4*  even  thy  God,  O  Zion,  unto  all  generations !" 

^  And  what  can  do  more  to  silence  all  thy 
*6.  fears,  nay,  to  fill  thee  with  all  joy,  and  peace  in 
•*  believing ;  and  even  give  thee  to  abound  in 
li  hope  of  this  unspeakable  privilege,  through 
"  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  than  that,  which 
•**  thy  blessed  Saviour  has  observed  concerning 
"  his  blood  ? 

"  Thy  sins,  O  my  soul,  have  been  many,  thy 

■'•  guilt  has  been  great ;  but  be  of  good  com- 

■   ,  ..-..■  j.        .  — 

•  Isaiah  1y.  5. 


V.UA'I     MANNER   WE    ARE  TO    PARTAKE.         2oJ 

;;  fort ;  the  blood  of  Jesus  was  shed  for  thee, 
"  for  the  remission  of  thy  sins  :  if  therefore  thou 
"  confessest  and  forsake'st  them,  even  the  faith- 
"  fulness,  as  well  as  mercy,  of  God,  may  encou- 
*'  rage  thy  hopes  of  forgiveness,* 

"  Thou  hast  rebelled  against  the  most  high 
'•  God,  the  possessor  and  Lord  of  heaven  and 
"  earth  ;  and  there  is  nothing  thou  canst  do  to 
"  merit  his  favour  ;  but  dost  thcu  repent  of  thy 
"  wicked  es  and  choose  the  things  that  please 
"  him,  it  is  no  presumption  in  thee  to  take  hold 
"  of  his  covenant,  and  look  for  all  the  blessings 
"  it  speaks  of;  for  this  blood,  which  was  shed 
••'  for  the  remission  of  thy  sins,  is  also  the 
"  blood  of  the  covenant,  the  price  of  these 
*•'  blessings. 

tt  And  should  it  not  remove  every  discourage 
u  ing  thought,  to  behold  the  Lord  Jesus  pre- 
'*  senting  thee  with  this  cup,  the  symbol  of  his 
'*  blood,  and  commanding  thee  to  receive  it,  as 
(i  the  new  covenant  in  his  blood.  It  is  a  sensible 
'•  pledge  of  God's  favour  to  thee  5  the  seal,  as 
'l  well  as  token  of  his  covenant  5  and  designed, 
"  not  merely  to  lead  thy  thoughts  to  the  gra- 
*•  cious  declarations  and  promises  of  the  word  : 
i%  but  to  excite  and  strengthen,  thy  faith  and  thy 
**  hope  in  them,  and  to  serve  as  a  witness  for 
"  God,  that  there  shall  not  fail  one  word  of  all  his 
u  good  promises. 

"  Make  use  then,  O  my  soul,  of  that  liberty 
"  that  is  granted  thee,  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by 


•  1  John  i.  9.     Prov.  xxvil  13. 


236  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,   AND  IN 

"  the  blood  of  Jesus;  that  blood  by  which  be- 
*'  himself  is  entered ;  and  go  boldly,  though  with 
6i  reverence  and  godly  fear,  to  the  throne  of 
"  grace,  that  thou  mayest  obtain  mercy,  and  find 
"  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need. 

"  And  now,  O  Lord,  I  draw  near  to  thee.  O 
"  may  I  do  it  with  a  true  and  upright  heart !  in 
"  thy  favour  is  life.  Thy  loving  kindness  is  bet- 
wi  ter  than  life.  My  flesh  and  my  heart  may  fail ; 
"  and  all  things  here  will  fail :  but  if  I  have  thee 
"  for  my  God,  in  covenant  with  me,  my  happi- 
u  ness  will  be  secure  and  lasting ;  for  thou  wilt 
"  be  the  strength  of  my  heart  and  my  portion  for 
*;  ever.  This  is  all  my  salvation,  and  all  my 
4w  desire. 

H  I  acknowledge  my  sin  unto  thee,  and  mine 
*'  iniquity  will  I  not  hide  ;  to  me  belongeth  con- 
44  fusion  of  face,  because  I  have  sinned  against 
,:  thee,  I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least  of  all  thy 
V  mercies  ;  if  thy  compassions  had  failed,  how 
<l  very  miserable  had  I  now  been!  who  am  I, 
"  O  Lord  God  !  whence  is  this  to  me,  that  thou 
*'  shouldst  speak  of  making  with  mean  everlast- 
"  ing  covenant,  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure  ; 
41  but  such  are  the  riches  of  thy  grace,  that  as 
il  in  thy  word  thou  settest  this  blessedness  be- 
u  fore  me,  so  this  cup  is  presented  to  me  to  en- 
"  courage  my  hopes  of  enjoying  it. 

11  Ar.d  now  having  full  assurance  of  faith  be-. 
"  ingfirmly  persuaded  of  the  efficacy  of  the  blood 
"  of  Jesus ;  that  blood  which  he  shed  for  the  re- 
"  mission  of  my  sins,  the  blood  of  the  new  co~ 


WHAT  MANNER  WE  ARC  TO  PARTAKE.         237 

"  venant,  I  receive,  and  drink  of  this  cup  as  the 
u  symbol  of  this  blood  and  as  the  token  and 
"  seal  of  this  covenant  and  this  I  do  for  a  tes- 
"  timony  of  my  taking  thee  for  my  God  and 
"  dedicating  myself  to  thy  service. 

"  O  Lord  thou  art  my  Lord,  my  lot,  my 
portion  the  life  of  my  soul;  the  father  of  mer- 
cies ;  the  God  of  all  comfort.  All  my  springs 
are  in  thee.  In  thee  will  I  put  my  trust.  In  thee 
will  I  boast  all  the  day  long.  I  will  praise  thy 
name  for  ever.  In  this  alone  will  I  glory  in, 
understanding  and  knowing  thee.  Thy  mercy, 
O  Lord,  is  in  the  heavens  :  thy  faithfulness 
reacheth  unto  the  clouds.  Thou  exercisest  lov- 
ing kindness,  judgment  and  righteousness  in 
the  earth.  Thou  wilt  abundantly  satisfy  thy 
people  ;  thou  wilt  make  them  to  drink  of  thy 
pleasures.  For  with  thee  is  the  fountain  of  life 
In  thy  light  .shall  we  see  light. 

*  I  now  yield  myself  unto  thee  as  thy  ser- 
vant; all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  my  soul, 
and  all  the  members  of  my  body,  as  instruments 
of  righteousness  unto  God.  I  now  enter  into  thy 
covenant  and  into  thine  oath,  that  I  will  be  thine  : 
and  will  walk  in  thy  ways,  will  live  in  thy  ser- 
vice. I  now  solemnly  engage  to  make  thy  word 
the  rule  of  my  life,  and  thy  glory  the  end  of  my 
living. 

'■'  O  take  away  all  iniquity,  and  receive  me 
graciously  :  turn  not  away  from  me.  but  rejoice 
over  me  to  do  me  good,  and  put  thy  fear  in  my 
heart,  that  I  may  never  depart  from  thee.  Thou 
who  art  the  God  of  peace,  that  hast  brought 
a  2 


238  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IN 

again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  through  the 
blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make  me 
perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do  thy  will,  work- 
ing in  me  that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  thy  sight, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever. 
Amen." 

These  devotional  exercises  relating  to  the  cup, 
may  prepare  your  hearts  for  the  praises  as  well  as 
prayers  which  are  to  be  offered  up  to  God  in  pub- 
lic, after  the  receiving  it. 

I  speak  of  praises  as  well  as  prayers,  because 
it  appears  from  the  history  of  the  institution  of 
the  Lord's  supper,  as  might  have  been  observed 
in  the  review,  that  Christ  and  his  apostles  sang 
an  hymn  before  they  left  the  house  in  which  he 
had  instituted  it.  *  We  cannot  say,  whether 
this  was  the  hallel  of  the  Jews,  which  began  at 
PsaL  cxiii.  and  ended  with  Psal.  cxviii.  ;  or  a 
part  of  it  only  ;  or  some  other  hymn  more  suit- 
ed to  his  new  institution.  But,  be  this  as  it  will, 
as  the  reason  of  things  led  the  Jews  to  sing  prai- 
ses to  God,  when  they  had  eaten  the  passover, 
so  it  should  much  more  lead  Christians  to  do 
the  same,  on  their  having  received  the  Lord's 
supper  :  for  no  instance  of  the  love  and  grace 
of  God  is  equal  to  that,  which  this  ordinance 
sets  before  us. 

But  the  laudable  custom  that  prevails  amongst 
us,  makes  it  needless  to  insist  on  the  proof  of 
this  point.  The  Church  of  England,  in  her  com- 
munion service,  directs  communicants  to  say,  or 

*  Matth.  xxv7.  3?.     Mark  xiv.  26. 


WHAT  M ANKER  WE  ARC  TO   PARTAKE.  2JeJ 

sing,  "  Glory  be  to  God  on  high,  and  on  earth 
11  peace,  good  will  towards  men  :  we  praise 
"  thee,  we  bless  thee,  we  worship  thee,  we  glo- 
"  rify  thee,  we  give  thanks  to  thee  for  thy  great 
M  glory,  O  Lord  God,  heavenly  King,  God  the 
u  Father  Almighty."  The  Presbyterians  also 
have  various  collections  of  hymns  for  their  use 
at  the  Lord's  table.  I  shall  transcribe  a  few  lines 
from  Dr.  Watts,  because  of  their  suitableness  to 
that  which  I  have  observed  concerning  the  sa- 
cramental cup. 

Hope  in  the  Covenant. 

HOW  oft  have  sin  and  Satan  strove 
To  rend  my  soul  from  thee,  my  God  ! 
But  everlasting  is  thy  love, 

And  Jesus  seals  it  with  his  blood. 

The  oath  and  promise  of  the  Lord 
Join  to  confirm  the  wondrous  grace ; 

Eternal  power  performs  the  word, 

And  fills  all  heaven  with  endless  praise. 

Amidst  temptations  sharp  and  long 
My  soul  to  this  dear  refuge  flies : 

Hope  is  my  anchor  firm  and  strong, 
While  tempests  blow  and  billows  rise.. 

The  gospel  bears  my  spirits  up  ; 

A  faithful  and  unchanging  God 
Lays  the  foundation  for  my  hope 

Tn  oaths,  and  promises,  and  blood. 

Hymns,  B.  J.  exxxix. 


-40  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IN 

The  new  Covenant  sealed, 

THE  promise  of  my  Father's  love 
Shall  stand  for  ever  good ; 
He  said,  and  gave  his  soul  to  death, 
And  seai'd  the  grace  with  blood. 

To  this  dear  cov'nant  of  thy  word 

I  set  my  worthless  name ; 
I  seal  the  engagement  to  my  Lord, 

And  make  my  humble  claim. 

Thy  light  and  strength,  and  pard'oing  grace 

And  glory  shall  be  mine ; 
My  life  and  soul,  my  heart  and  flesh, 

And  all  my  powers  are  thine. 

B.  III.  3. 
Here  in  thy  courts  I  leave  my  vow, 

And  thy  rich  grace  record  , 
Witness,  ye  saints,  who  hear  me  now, 

If  I  forsake  the  Lord.  Psal.  cxvi. 

Unless  John  xvii.  is  one  of  Christ's  Sacra- 
mental prayers,  we  cannot  plead  his  example  for 
praying  after  receiving  of  the  cup.  But  since 
there  is  no  colour  of  reason  for  thinking  that 
this  duty  is  then  improper,  or  unseasonable,  why 
should  any  be  for  breaking  in  upon  the  custom 
of  concluding  this  feast  with  prayer,  which  so 
generally  prevails?  * 

And  now  the  public  worship  being  over,  all 

that  remains  is  for  every  communicant  to  make 

■  -  -  ■        ■  ■  a  . 

•  Oratio  conviviun  dirircit.     Tertul.  Apol. 


VilAT  MANNER   WE   ARE  TO   PARTAKE.         241 

the  most  serious  reflection  on  what  he  has  done,, 
and  to  be  found  in  such  exercises  of  the  heart 
in  his  retirements  as  are  suitable  to  his  case. 

If  Deists  as  well  as  Christians,  they  who  de- 
ny, as  well  as  they  who  believe  the  gospel  of 
God  concerning  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord, 
are  among  the  communicants,  they  may  put 
such  questions  as  these  to  themselves. 

"  Is  this  that  I  have  done  to  be  justified  ? 
have  I  acted  honestly,  and  with  a  regard  ta 
truth  ?  were  I  in  Turkey,  or  in  China,  might  L 
not  join  with  the  Mahometans,  or  Pagans  in. 
their  superstitions,  as  well  as  join  with  the  Chris- 
tians in  this,  which  they  look  upon  as  the  most 
solemn  institution  of  what  they  call  their  Reli- 
gion? may  not  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed- 
nego  be  justly  applauded  for  the  bravery  and 
nobleness  of  their  spirits  in  hazarding  their  lives 
rather  than  fall  down  and  worship  the  golden 
image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  had  set  up"?  and 
may  not  I  as  justly  be  condemned  for  being 
governed  by  the  basest  principle  in  receiving 
the  sacrament  with  no  other  view  than  that  I 
may  obtain  the  favour  of  others  ?  Is  it  fit  upon 
any  consideration  whatever  to  be  found  in  any 
act  of  false  worship,  and  to  do  honour  to  an  im- 
postor ? 

"  But  why  should  I  thus  speak  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  who,  if  the  histories  of  him  in  the 
New  Testament  be  true,  was  a  man  without 
guile  ;  and  approved  of  God,  as  a  teacher  come 
from  Him,  by  many  miracles,  and  wonders  and 
signs,  which  were  openly  done  by  him,  and  at 


242  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND   IN 

length  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  by  his  re- 
surrection from  the  dead  fi 

"  This  institution,  indeed,  sets  him  before  us 
as  crucified ;  but  is  this  the  only  notion  under 
which  I  oughtj  in  reason,  to  consider  him  ?  had 
he  been  a  deceiver  of  the  people,  must  there  not 
have  been  a  full  end  of  all  faith  in  him,  and  re- 
gard to  him,  upon  his  having  been  put  to  death, 
and  in  so  infamous  a  manner?  but  is  it  not  cer- 
tain that  Christianity  very  much  prevailed,  and 
that  the  number  of  his  disciples  mightily  in- 
creased for  many  years  after  his  crucifixion  ?  and 
is  it  not  also  certain  that  men  in  those  times, 
could  not  reasonably  hope  for  any  worldly  ad- 
vantages from  professing  themselves  Christians; 
so  far  from  it,  that  this  was  the  way  to  endanger 
the  loss  of  their  estates,  their  friends,  their  liber- 
ties, and  even  their  lives  ?  what  then  should 
lead  such  multitudes  to  this,  but  the  full  evi- 
dence they  had  of  the  truth  of  Christ's  resur- 
rection ;  and  that  he  was  indeed  exalted  by  the 
right  hand  of  God,  to  be  a  prince  and  a  Saviour, 
to'give  repentance  to  Israel,  and  forgiveness  of 
sins  ? 

"  When  this  was  the  case,  have  I  no  cause 
to  suspect  that  there  is  some  passion,  some  pre- 
judice or  other,  that  has  hitherto  blinded  my 
mind,  and  hindered  the  light  of  his  gospel  from 
shining  upon  me  ?  will  it  not  be  prudent,  is  it 
not  necessary,  to  examine  my  heart  with  all  pos- 
sible care,  that  I  may  discover  the  secret  springs 
of  my  carriage  ? 

•<  Was  not   the  author  and  finisher  of  the 


WHAT  MANNER  WE   ARE  TO   PARTAKE.         243 

Christian's  faith  for  this  purpose  manifested, 
that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil  ? 
and  sin  and  iniquity  being  the  devil's  work,  did 
he  not  come  into  the  world  to  save  his  people 
from  their  sins,  and  to  bless  them  in  turning 
away  every  one  of  them  from  his  iniquities  ?  is 
not  this,  the  leading  us  to  holiness  in  heart  and 
in  life,  the  end  of  the  doctrine  he  taught,  and  is 
it  not  proper  to  answer  this  end  ?  should  not 
this  recommend  it  to  us  as  a  doctrine  worthy  of 
God,  and  profitable  to  men  ?  and  yet  is  not  this 
that  which  makes  me  unwilling  to  receive  it. 
and  acknowledge  the  divine  authority  of  its 
teacher?  but  if  this  be  so,  does  not  my  reason, 
my  conscience  condemn  me?  and  must  I  not 
conclude  that  the  God  of  truth  does  also  con- 
demn me  ?  and  that  I  may  escape  his  righteous 
judgment  ought  I  not  immediately  to  fall  down 
on  my  knees,  and  pray,  Lord  pardon  the  sinb 
of  which  I  have  been  guilty,  and  give  me  to  do 
thy  Willi  that  I  may  know  of  the  doctrine  of  Je- 
-sus,  whether  it  be  of  thee  or  whether  he  spake 
of  himself?" 

Let  the  Deists  make  the  experiment,  and  I 
am  apt  to  think  they  will  find  that  their  giving  a 
satisfactory  answer  to  these  questions  will  shew 
that  it  is  highly  reasonable  for  them,  to  resolve 
either  to  go  to  the  Lord's  table  no  more,  or  to 
observe  his  institution  for  the  future  with  other 
affections  and  to  a  different  purpose  than  they 
have  ever  done  it  before. 

And  that  it  may  be  the  same  with  another 
sort  of  communicants,  those  I  mean  who  pro- 


£  1-4  WITH   WHAT    DISPOSITIONS, -AN*D   I.N 

fess  to  believe  the  gospel  of  Christ,  but  do  not 
obey  it,  such  as  call  him,  Lord,  Lord,  but  know- 
in  their  consciences  that  they  do  not  the  things 
that  he  saith ;  let  them,  as  is  meet,  reason  with 
themselves  after  some  such  manner  as  this. 

"  Wherein  is  it  better  with  me  than  with  a 
Deist  ?  what  benefit  may  1  expect  from  partak- 
ing of  the  sacrament,  which  he  may  not  look 
for  ?  we  are  acted  by  the  same  principles  and 
aim  at  the  like  ends  in  that  which  we  have  done* 
I  may  say  as  well  as  he,  that  it  was  not  inclina- 
tion to  this  duty,  affection  to  Christ,  a  desire  to 
shew  respect  to  him,  a  concern  for  -my  spiritual 
advantage,  or  any  thing  of  this  nature,  that 
carried  me  to  the  Lord's  table,  no  ;  but  the  love 
of  this  world,  and  a  regard  to  its  profits,  its 
pleasures,  or  its  honours.  Had  it  not  been  to 
please  my  friends,  or  to  gain  the  reputation  of  a 
pious  man,  or  to  qualify  me  for  such  an  office, 
or  for  some  end  like  these,  I  had  thought  no- 
thing of  eating  this  bread  and  drinking  this  wine. 

"  But  what  hypocrisy  and  folly  have  I  been 
guilty  of!  I  may  have  imposed  on  my  fellow 
communicants ;  but  be  not  deceived,  O  my 
soul,  God  is  not  mocked.  He  who  searcheth 
all  hearts,  and  understandeth  all  the  imaginations 
of  the  thoughts,  cannot  but  know  all  the  springs 
oi  my  actions  ;  even  my  most  secret  sins  are  not 
hid  from  his  eyes,  and  whatsoever  I  sow  that 
shall  I  also  reap. 

"  What  an  evil  servant  have  1  been !  I  have 
trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  I  have  count- 
ed the  blood  of  the  covenant  an  unholy  thing, 


WHAT  MANNER  WE   ARE  TO  PARTAKE.         245 

and  done  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace  :  and  I 
may  justly  be  thought  worthy  of  the  sorest 
punishment.  What  a  wonder  of  mercies  is  it 
that  my  Lord  did  not  come  and  cut  me  assun- 
der,  and  appoint  me  my  portion  with  hypocrites, 
where  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth  ! 
"  But  hitherto,  O  Lord,  thou  hast  kept 
silence,  and  waited  to  be  gracious  unto  me. 
Should  I  go  on  to  despise  the  riches  of  thy  good- 
ness, forbearance,  and  long-suffering,  and  not 
be  led  thereby  to  repentance,  what  can  I  think 
but  that  I  shall  treasure  up  unto  myself  wrath 
against  the  day  of  thy  wrath,  and  revelation  of 
thy  righteous  judgment,  who  wilt  render  to 
every  man  according  to  his  deeds  ? 

u  Blessed  be  thy  name  that  life  and  the  day  of 
grace  are  still  afforded  me,  and  that  I  have  some 
sight  of  the  danger  I  am  in  :  impress  my  heart 
with  a  more  afTecting  sense  of  it.  May  my  flesh 
tremble  for  fear  of  thee.  May  I  be  so  afraid  of 
thy  judgments,  as  not  to  dare  to  take  one  step 
more  in  the  way  of  sin. 

*'  But  why,  O  Lord,  should  I  give  up  all 
hopes  of  being  saved  when  I  yet  hear  of  a  Sa- 
viour: and  when  his  blood  which  cleanseth  from 
all  sin,  is  yet  set  before  me  :  and  when  I  yet 
enjoy  the  ministry  of  reconciliation  by  which  I 
urn  assured  that  thou  art  in  Christ  reconciling 
the  world  unto  thyself,  not  imputing  their  tres- 
passes unto  them,  and  beseechest  me  to  be  re- 
conciled unto  thee. 

"  What  amazing  love  and  grace  is  this !  Lord 
give  me  to  feel  that  it  constraineth  me  to  throw 


2  4G  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  AND  IN 

down  my  arms  immediately,  and  yield  myself 
unto  thee  :  and  O  have  mercy  upon  me  accord- 
ing to  thy  loving  kindness,  according  to  the 
multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies,  in  Christ,  blot 
out  my  transgressions.  Wash  me  thoroughly 
from  mine  iniquities,  and  cleanse  me  from  my 
sin.  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God!  and 
renew  a  right  spirit  within  me.  Let  116  iniquity 
any  longer  have  dominion  over  me ;  but  break 
all  the  cords  of  my  sins,  wherewith  I  have  been 
holden :  set  my  soul  at  liberty,  by  the  power 
of  thy  grace ;  make  me  thy  servant,  and  help 
me  to  spend  the  remainder  of  my  days  in  thy 
service." 

It  may  be  some  who  fear  that  they  are  among 
this  sort  of  communicants  may  be  secretly  mov- 
ed, while  thus  praying,  to  add  with  pleasure  and 
joy  ;  and  now,  O  Lord,  thou  givest  me  my 
heart's  desire,  and  hast  not  withholden  the  re- 
quests of  my  lips.  For  now  I  feel  the  holy  fire 
kindling  in  my  breast,  and  am  made  willing  to 
be  thine.  Thou  art  my  portion,  saith  my  soul, 
therefore  will  I  hope  in  thee.  Thou  art  my 
rightful  Sovereign,  and  I  now  submit  myself 
unto  thee.  Other  lords,  in  time  past,  have  had 
dominion  over  me  ;  but  by  the  assistance  of  thy 
grace,  thee  only  will  I  serve  for  the  future.  O 
that  my  heart  may  be  right  with  thee,  stedfast 
in  thy  covenant;  and  that  having  my  fruit  unto 
holiness,  my  end  may  be  everlasting  life,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

But  4his  leads  our  thoughts  to  the  truly  pious; 


WHAT  MANNER   WE   ARE   TO   PARTAKE.         247 

for  it  cannot  justly  be  said  of  any  other  persons, 
that  their  hearts  speak  such  language :  and  the 
proper  workings  of  their  minds,  when  retired, 
after  they  have  been  at  the  Lord's  table,  may  be 
thus  expressed  :  I  have  lifted  up  my  hand  unto 
the  most  high  God,  and  I  cannot  go  back.  I  have 
sworn,  and  I  will  perform  it,  that  I  will  keep  his 
righteous  commandments.  I  love  my  master, 
and  1  will  not  go  out  free.  Lord  to  whom  shall  I 
go  ?  Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life  :  I  love 
thy  service,  and  am  fully  resolved  never  to 
leave  it.  Ft  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  having 
promise  of  the  life  which  now  is,  and  of  that 
which  is  to  come. 

"  Rut  knowing  that  I  am  in  an  evil  world,  in 
which  I  shall  meet  with  many  temptations  to 
forget  God,  and  deal  falsely  in  his  covenant,  and 
being  sensible  that  the  flesh  is  weak,  and  ready 
to  comply  with  them,  I  dare  not  trust  in  my 
own  heart,  nor  place  any  confidence  in  my  own 
strength  j  but  I  fly  to  thee,  my  blessed  and  al- 
mighty Saviour.  Thou  art  the  Mediator  of  the 
new  covenant,  and  a  witness  of  mv  oath  ;  be 
thou  a  surety  for  me,  and  help  me  by  thy  Spirit 
to  act  agreeably  to  all  my  solemn  engagements. 
Lord,  confirm  me  unto  the  end.  Perform  tlv 
good  work  begun  in  my  soul.  Keep  me  by  thy 
power  through  faith  unto  salvation. 

H  How  great  is  that  blessedness  which  has 
been  presented  to  me  at  the  Loid's  table  !  all 
the  fruits  of  his  sufferings  and  death,  all  the 
blessings  of  the  new  covenant.     Look  diiigent- 


248  WITH  WHAT  DISPOSITIONS,  &C. 

ly,  O  my  soul,  lest  thou  fail  of  this  grace  of 
God.  Fear  lest  thou  shouldst  so  much  as  seem 
to  come  short  of  it.  Seek  after  a  bright  and 
continued  evidence  of  thine  interest  in  this  bless- 
edness :  that  Christ  is  thy  Saviour,  and  that  the 
Lord  is  thy  God  in  covenant  with  thee.  This 
will  be  the  way  to  have  that  cheerful  heart  which 
doth  good  like  a  medicine,  and  to  be  rejoicing 
in  all  thy  tribulations  with  joy  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory. 

u  Press  then,  O  my  soul,  toward  the  mark 
for  this  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus.  Be  not  slothful  in  business,  but  fer- 
vent in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord.  Give  all  dili- 
gence to  add  to  thy  faith  virtue  ;  and  to  virtue 
knowledge ;  and  to  knowledge  temperance  ;  and 
to  temperance  patience,  and  to  patience  godli- 
ness, and  to  godliness  brotherly-kindness,  and 
to  brotherly-kindness,  charity. 

•'  O  that  these  things  may  be  in  me  and  abound, 
that  I  may  be  neither  barren  nor  unfruitful  in 
the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thus 
my  calling  and  election  being  made  sure,  I  shall 
go  on  my  way  rejoicing,  and  an  entrance  shall 
be  ministered  unto  me  abundantly  into  the  ever- 
lasting kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ.  To  him  be  glory  both  now  and  for 
ever.  Amen. 


[  249  J 


WHAT  SHOULD  BF.  THE  COMMUNICANT  S  SUBSEQUENT 
LIFE   AND  WALK. 

*  r  |  ^HE    conclusion   of  this  treatise    is   in- 
X      tended  as  some  exhortation,  directing 
us  how  we  ought  to  behave  after  the  perform- 
ance of  this  religious  duty. 

It  is  necessary  to  say  somewhat  on  this  part 
of  the  subject,  for  the  sake  of  some  who  sin- 
cerely wish  to  approve  themselves  to  God  ;  yet. 
oft-times,  after  they  have  been  at  the  Lord's  ta- 
ble, are  ready  to  distress  themselves  with  ima- 
ginary fears  about  the  state  of  their  souls,  and 
with  doubts  whether  they  have  profited  by  that 
solemn  ordinance. 

Let  us  hear  then  "  what  God  the  Lord  will 
11  speak ;  for  he  will  speak  peace  to  his  people, 
"  and  to  his  saints,  but  let  them  not  return  to 
11  folly.' 'f  According  to  the  declarations  of  the 
gospel,  "  if  we  confess  and  forsake  our  sins, 
"  God  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins, 
44  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.' 
There  is  no  positive  promise,  that  every  time 
that  a  person  partakes  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  his 
sins  shall  be  forgiven :  yet,  from  the  tenor  of 
the  covenant  of  mercy,  a  devout  Christian  who 
has  humbly  confessed,  and  sincerely  forsaken 
his  past  transgressions,  andj  at  the  table  of  the 
Lord,  earnestly  implored  the  forgiveness  of  them 


*  From  Dr.  Duncan's  Devout  Commu'-.ics.m":  Assistant 
*.  Psalm  hx sv.  8. 

Y     2 


250      WHAT  SHOULD  BE  THE  COMMUNICANT^ 

for  the  sake  of  that  death  which  he  there  com- 
memorates, has  good  reason  to  hope,  that  if  he 
return  not  to  the  love  and  commission  of  sins 
thus  repented  of,  they  shall  never  rise  in  judg- 
ment against  him  :  yet  this  comfortable  hope 
ministers  no  sort  of  encouragement  to  the  man 
that  goes  on  in  his  trespasses. 

Some  modest  timorous  persons  are  ready  to 
distress  themselves  with  fears  lest  they  have  of- 
fended God,  by  their  approach  to  his  holy  ta- 
ble ;  and  are  apt  to  conclude  they  have  not  en- 
joyed communion  with  him,  because  they  were 
not  able  to  come  with  all  that  fervency  of  love, 
or  melting  of  affections,  of  which  they  have 
read,  or  with  which  they  themselves  have  some- 
times been  favoured. 

Such  persons  ought  carefully  to  consider, 
that  we  may  enjoy  real  communion  with  God, 
ihough  it  is  not  sensible.  The  power  of  God 
realty  supports  us  every  moment,  though  we 
are  not  sensible  of  it.  Almighty  God  hath 
thought  fit,  in  great  condescension  to  our  weak- 
ness, to  maintain  communion  with  us  in  the  use 
of  means.  We  carry  on  correspondence  with 
our  absent  friends,  when  we  see  them  not,  by 
messages  or  letters,  or  exchange  of  kind  offices, 
and  expressions  of  affection  and  regard  to  them : 
even  so,  by  reading  and  hearing  the  word  of 
God,  by  the  use  of  the  holy  sacraments,  by  me- 
ditation and  prayer,  we  preserve  intercourse  or 
conversation  with  heaven ;  and  that  communion 
is  real  when  those  means  are  blessed  to  enlarge 
oar  knowledge,  establish  our  faith,  or  amend 


SUBSEQUENT  LIFE  AND   WALK.  12^1 

our  lives.  These  improvements  in  religion  arc 
gradual,  but  we  cannot  pretend  tliat  the  pro- 
gress is  always  sensible. 

Our  natural  food  is  really  blessed  to  us,  when 
it  strengthens  our  bodies  for  the  ordinary  func- 
tions of  life,  though  we  cannot  pretend  sensibly 
to  distinguish  what  particular  parts  were  most 
subservient  to  that  purpose.  Thus  ought  we  also 
to  judge  of  our  religious  improvement  by  par- 
taking of  the  Lord's  Supper*  Our  spiritual  food 
is  blessed  to  us,  when  we  are  thereby  strength- 
ened in  the  Christian  life  ;  that  is  to  say,  are 
more  confirmed  in  the  faith,  enabled  more  to 
k)ve  God,  have  more  pleasure  in  doing  good, 
live  above  the  temptations  of  this  world,  and, 
from  the  heart  can  more  cheerfully  forgive  an 
injury,  though  we  are  not  favoured  with  those 
warm  affections  and  fervent  desires,  which  are 
no  where  promised  to  attend  this  ordinance  at 
all  times,  and  which  the  best  of  men  oftener 
wish  for  than  enjoy. 

So  that  we  may  safely  conclude,  if  our  mo- 
tives were  sincere  in  coming  to  the  Lord's  ta- 
ble, we  have  been  accepted  of  God;  and  the 
most  solid  proof  to  ourselves  of  our  having 
reaped  benefit  from  it,  will  be  the  good  fruits 
which  it  shall  afterward  produce  on  our  hearts 
and  lives.  This  will  be  a  source  of  joy  more 
lasting  than  that  which  flows  from  momentary 
warm  emotions  of  the  soul,  on  which  many  lay 
so  great  stress. 

We  do  not  usually  depend  so  much  on  re 
Rotations  and  professions  of  friendship  from  peor 


252      WHAT  SHOULD  BE  THE  COMMUNICANTS 

% 

pie  who  are  easily  heated,  and  moved  to  warm 
expressions,  as  from  those  who  are  calm  and  se- 
date, whose  purposes  seem  to  proceed  from 
principle  and  established  affections.  The  for- 
mer soon  fly  off;  while  the  effects  of  the  latter 
continually  remain.  Even  so  it  is  in  religion  ; 
for  the  natural  dispositions  work  the  same  way 
in  both. 

The  conduct  of  two  of  the  disciples  of  Christ 
compared  together,  will  illustrate  this  matter. 

The  holy  apostle  Peter  sat  at  the  Supper  of 
our  Lord  on  the  first  appointment  of  it,  and 
made  as  warm  professions  of  love  and  zeal  for 
his  Master  as  words  could  possibly  express* 
t;  1  Lough  all  men  forsake  thee,  yet  will  not  I ; 
"  yea,  though  I  should  die  with  thee,  yet  will  I 
"  not  forsake  thee — I  am  ready  to  go  with  thee 
"  both  to  prison  and  to  death."  Nicodemus 
was  a  disciple  of  Christ,  but  secretly,  for  fear 
of  the  Jews.  At  first  he  made  no  open  pro- 
fession, but  came  to  Jesus  by  night.  Yet 
we  find  afterwards,  that  Nicodemus  made  a 
very  rational  and  steady  defence  for  Christ, 
when  he  was  accused  by  the  rulers,  and  said, 
"  Doth  our  law  judge  (condemn)  any  man  be- 
H  fore  it  hear  him,  and  know  what  he  doth  ?  "* 
And.  when  all  the  disciples  had  fled,  and,  alas  ! 
this  zealous  and  warm  apostle  Peter  denied  his- 
Lord  and  master  with  oaths,  modest  Nicode- 
mus continued  stedfast,  attended  the  dead  body 
of  Jesus*  and  brought  spices  and  ointments  to 
embalm  him  for  his  burial,  f 

*  John  vii.  5\r  i  John  xix.  29, 


SUBSEQUENT  LIFE  AND  WALK.  253 

H  such  a  timorous  modest  person  was  even 
persuaded  that  he  had  not  been  so  well  prepa- 
red, or  in  such  good  disposition  as  he  ought  to 
have  been,  when  he  approached  the  Lord's  ta- 
ble, the  consequence  is  not  that,  therefore,  he 
ought  to  be  discouraged  from  the  service  of 
God,  or  from  attending  again  on  this  duty.  If 
we  were  not  all  imperfect,  and  had  not  things 
about  us  that  needed  to  be  amended,  the  helps 
of  religion,  and  the  means  of  grace,  would  be 
unnecessary  ;  but  the  disciples  of  Christ  should 
reason  in  this  ease,  as  an  attentive  scholar  would 
do  with  respect  to  any  lesson  prescribed  to  him, 
or  pattern  of  writing  set  him  by  his  master.  If 
his  imitation  or  endeavours,  at  one  time,  came 
short  of  what  he  wished,  he  would  attend,  and 
study,  on  another  occasion,  to  come  nearer  to 
his  master's  directions.  Thus  also  must  we,  by 
care  and  perseverance  in  our  duty,  strive  to  ar- 
rive at  "  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  ful- 
"  ness  of  a  perfect  man  in  Christ." 

Let  us  even  carry  this  supposition  to  the 
greatest  height,  that  a  person,  going  on  in  sin, 
had  rashly  approached  to  the  Lord's  table,  with- 
out due  consideration  of  the  importance  of  that 
duty,  without  contrition  and  sorrow  for  past 
sins,  or  careful  resolutions  of  amendment  of  life; 
yet  such  a  person  ought  not  to  be  driven  to  des- 
pair, as  it  is  no  where  said,  that  unworthy  com- 
municating is  an  unpardonable  sin.  He  ought 
rather  to  be  exhorted  speedily  to  arise  and  re- 
new himself  by  repentance,  that  the  thoughts  of 
his  heart  may  be  forgiven  him.    When  the  holy 


254      WHAT  SHOULD  BE  THE  COMMUNICANT'S 

apostle  Peter  preached  early  at  Jerusalem  the 
guilt  of  that  people  in  having  killed  the  holy- 
One  and  the  just,  and  having  desired  a  murderer 
to  be  granted  unto  them,  he  did  not  bid  them 
despair  of  mercy,  but  says,  "  I  wot  that  through 
"  ignorance  ye  did  it."  And  he  adds,  "  Re- 
"  pent  therefore,  and  be  converted,  that  your 
"  sins  may  be  blotted  out,  when  the  times  of 
"  refreshing  shall  come  from  the  presence  of  the 
"  Lord." 

2.  In  our  attendance  on  the  offices  of  religion, 
and  the  use  of  the  means  of  grace,  we  ought  al- 
ways to  refer  them  to  the  great  end  for  which 
they  were  appointed,  and  judge  of  our  profiting 
by  them  according  to  the  degrees  in  which  that 
is  promoted.  The  great  end  of  religion  is  to 
present  us  at  last  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus.  How 
is  this  perfection  described  ? 

The  precepts  of  our  religion  oblige  us,  by 
every  tie,  to  love  the  Lord  our  God,  with  all 
our  heart,  with  all  our  soul,  with  all  our  strength, 
and  with  all  our  mind.  The  best  test  of  their 
love  is,  that  it  induce  us  to  keep  his  command- 
ments, and  delight  in  the  law  of  the  Lord  after 
the  inward  man.  The  wisdom  that  is  from  above, 
is  pure,  and  peaceable,  gentle,  and  easy  to  be 
entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits,  with- 
out partiality,  and  without  hypocrisy.  It  indu- 
ceth  us  to  put  on  bowels  of  mercy,  humbleness 
of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffering,  forbearing 
one  another,  and  forgiving  one  another.  It  ani- 
mates also  by  the  most  affectionate  considera- 
tions to  the  practice  of  all  the  duties  incumbent 


SUBSEQUENT  LIFE  AND   WALK.  255 

on  us  in  the  relative  stations  in  which  providence 
hath  placed  as. 

We  ought  frequently  to  turn  our  thoughts  to 
these  great  lines  of  duty,  and,  by  our  conformi- 
ty to  them,  we  will  be  best  able  to  judge  of  our 
profiting  by  the  Gospel.  This  will  produce  per- 
manent and  lasting  effects,  and  be  a  much  bet- 
ter foundation  of  peace,  and  far  more  to  be  de- 
pended on,  than  the  fleeting  emotions  of  the  soul, 
that  bring  forth  no  fruit.  By  this  also,  our  light 
will  be  made  to  shine  before  men  ;  and  by  our 
good  works,  which  men  behold,  we  will  be  able 
to  put  to  silence  those,  who  would  be  ready  to 
speak  against  us  as  evil-doers.  For  the  licen- 
tious spirit  of  this  age,  has,  in  some  men,  even 
come  the  length  of  speaking  contemptuously  of 
those  who  dare  put  on  the  decent  appearance  of 
religion. 

3.  Keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  God.  Cul- 
tivate and  cherish  in  your  souls,  those  devout 
impressions  of  the  love  of  God  and  of  Christ, 
and  that  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin,  which  you  had 
while  you  sat  at  the  Lord's  table,  within  sight 
of  the  cross  of  Christ.  You  cannot  perhaps  ex- 
pect that  these  impressions  will  always  be  so 
warm,  as  they  then  were ;  yet  without  affecta- 
tion of  preciseness  or  singularity,  study  to  act 
consistently  with  them,  and  carefully  avoid  every 
thing  that  would  extinguish  or  suppress  them. 

Nothing  can  contribute  more  to  keep  them 
alive,  than  being  mindful  of  the  duty  of  secret 
prayer,  and  resolving  statedly  to  attend  to  it. 
There   is  an  inseparable  connexion  among  all 


256 

the  virtues  and  duties  of  the  Christian  life,  so 
that  the  study  of  one  of  them  helps  to  the  prac- 
tice of  another.  Thus  diligence  in  our  callings 
contributes  to  sobriety,  temperance  to  justice, 
and  the  love  of  God  sweetens  our  tempers  with 
benevolence  and  good-will  toward  all  men.  But 
a  constant  attention  to  the  duty  of  prayer  has  a 
very  great  influence  on  them  all.  It  cherishes  in 
our  souls  a  sense  of  the  love  and  fear  of  God  ;  it 
strengthens  the  belief  of  our  constant  depen- 
dence on  him  ;  it  awakens  a  care  to  please  him; 
and  makes  us  watchful  against  doing  any  thing 
to  our  brethren  that  would  forfeit  the  approba- 
tion of  our  own  hearts,  or  prevent  our  accep- 
tance with  God. 

The  religion  of  Christians  has  enjoined  the  du- 
ties of  piety  and  morality  with  equal  authority. 
The  first  duty  is  to,  "  Love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
4<  all  thy  heart,"  said  our  blessed  Saviour,  is  a 
great  commandment :  "  The  second  is  like  un- 
14  to  it,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thy- 
u  self  *. — These  ye  ought  to  have  done,  and 
'•  not  have  left  the  other  undone."  It  is  there- 
fore necessary,  that  we  should  always  remem- 
ber, that  our  attendance  on  the  duties  of  one  ta- 
ble of  the  law,  will  not  atone  for  the  neglect  of 
those  of  the  other :  But  the  Christian,  who 
would  act  consistently,  must  be  careful  that  his 
performance  of  the  duties  which  he  owes  to  God 
be  no  hinderance  to  those  of  his  relative  stations, 

*  M-atth.  xxii.  3S.  and  xxiii.  23. 


oL«t  sequent  life  an-u  walk.  ^5  7 

and  that  his  duty  to  his  neighbour  do  not  inter 
fere  with  the  offices  of  religion. 

4.  As  to  aged  persons,  it  is  very  reasonable, 
that  people  in  the  decline  of  life,  who  are  in 
some  measure  disentangled  from  several  of  the 
cares  of  it,  should  apply  themselves  with  greater 
diligence  to  the  offices  of  religion  :  in  order  to 
rectify  what  hath  been  amiss  in  their  hearts  and 
lives,  and  to  redeem  time,  that  hath  been  mis- 
pent  ;  that  so,  when  their  Lord  cometh,  they 
may  be  ready. 

It  is  particularly  incumbent  on  such  persons 
to  do  what  they  can  to  recommend  religion  to 
others,  especially  to  young  people,  by  manifest- 
ing what  cheerfulness  and  quiet  of  mind  godli- 
ness brings  along  with  it ;  how  it  supports  them 
under  age  and  infirmities  ;  what  blessed  pros- 
pects it  sets  before  them  in  a  better  world ; 
and,  under  all  the  increasing  frailties  of  na- 
ture, induces  them  to  make  every  allowance, 
which  is  not  sinful,  to  others  who  are  youngefr 
than  themselves,  or  may  in  opinion  differ  from 
them. 

Many  fail  in  this  important  article,  who,  while 
they  seem  to  be  more  than  ordinarily  employed 
about  religion,  indulge  a  peevish  or  censorious 
temper.  This  gives  unfavourable  impressions 
of  devotion,  and  makes  others  ready  to  imagine, 
that  the  natural  effect  of  such  exercises  is  to  ren- 
der those  sour  and  melancholy  who  are  most 
employed  in  them :  or  else,  that  such  people, 
when  they  could  not  relish  what  they  once  call- 
ed the  pleasures  of  life,  have  fled  to  the  officer 

Z 


25$       Vv  HAT  SHOULD  BE  'J'H£  .COMMUMC Ant's 

oi'  religion,  that,  under  pretence  of  zeal,  they 
might  vent  their  spleen  and  ill  nature  against  all 
those  whose  conduct  is  not  directed  by  their  hu- 
mour. 

It  is  of  great  consequence  to  be  able,  from 
our  own  experience,  to  recommend  religion  to 
those  who  may  come  after  us.  This  is  the  most 
effectual  method  of  promoting  theinterest  there- 
of to  generations  yet  to  come.  What  the  aged 
are  able  to  say  of  the  importance  and  advanta- 
ges of  a  religious  course  of  life,  and  the  evident 
good  effects  it  hath  produced  on  themselves, 
will  be  a  testimony  for  godliness  in  the  mouth 
of  two  witnesses.  This,  indeed,  will  make 
"  the  path  of  the  just  as  the  shining  light, 
"  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
'.'  day." 

In  this  manner  did  David  the  King  bear  wit- 
ness for  the  service  of  God :  "  I  have  been 
"  young,  and  now  am  old,  yet  I  never  saw  the 
;<  righteous  forsaken,  nor  his  seed  begging 
**  bread  ** — My  heart  and  my  flesh  fail ;  but 
"  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  por- 
H  tion  for  ever  f."  The  same  testimony  aged 
Joshua,  the  leader  of  Israel,  gave  to  the  cause 
of  religion:  "  And  behold,  this  day,  I  am  going 
"  the  way  of  all  the  earth;  and  ye  know,  in  all 
"  your  hearts,  .and  in  all  your  souls,  that  not 
<l  one  thing  hath  failed  of  all  the  good  things 
*!  which  the  Lord  your  God  spake  concerning 
"  you;  all  are  come  to  pass  unto  you,  and  not 
'«  one  thing  hath  failed  thereof.  J" 

•  Psalm  xxxvii.  25.         f  Ixxiii.  26,        %  Josh,  xxiii.  14. 


SUBSEQUENT   LIFE   AND  WALK.  l-2.)H 

5.  It  is  very  fit  that  young  people  should 
early  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper;  but  it  is  of 
great  consequence,  in  what  manner  their  first 
approach  is  made.  Early  impressions  abide  long. 
Care  ought,  therefore,  to  be  had,  that  their  first 
coming  to  the  Lord's  table  be  their  own  choice, 
as  the  effect  of  their  having  been  properly  in- 
structed in  the  principles  of  religion,  and  par- 
ticularly in  the  nature  of  this  duty  ;  that  they 
should  neither  be  brought  to  it  in  a  careless  ir- 
reverent manner,  nor  terrified  with  dread  and 
horror  of  this  ordinance.  It  ought  to  appear  to 
be  the  work  of  love,  rather  than  of  fear ;  that 
the}-  may  draw  near  to  God  as  children  to  an  af- 
fectionate father,  and,  from  the  choice  of  their 
own  hearts,  dedicate  themselves  to  his  service 
and  obedience,  and  ratify,  over  the  memorials 
of  the  death  of  Christ,  the  obligations  which 
their  parents  came  under  for  them  in  baptism. 

When  this  duty  is  performed,  care  should  be 
taken  to  direct  their  after  behaviour;  for  too 
many  are  apt  to  think,  the  whole  that  is  meant 
by  partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  over,  when 
they  come  from  the  table.  No  body  imagines, 
when  he  rises  from  prayers,  that  all  his  Chris- 
tian labour  is  at  an  end.  Even  so,  though  to 
partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  a  very  necessa- 
ry and  important  office,  it  is  but  the  perfor- 
mance of  one  duty  ;  but  never  should  be  gone 
about,  as  unconnected  with  the  other  duties  of 
religion  ;  for  it  really  implies  an  obligation  care 
fully  to  attend  to  the'm  all. 


260      W-HAT  SHOULD  BE  TJfE  COMMUNICANT'S 

Young  people  should  be  directed  to  consider 
religion  as  what  will  make  them  happy,  will  lay 
a  foundation  of  great  peace  in  their  minds,  ei- 
ther by  subduing  their  irregular  passions,  or  di- 
recting to  the  right  application  of  their  best  af- 
fections, comforting  them  at  present  in  the  ap- 
probation of  their  own  hearts,  and  in  the  hopes 
at  last  of  acceptance  with  God. 

The  princples  of  piety  and  religion  carefully 
instilled,  will  animate  them  to  perform,  with 
love  and  great  delight,  the  duties  which  they 
owe  to  their  parents  and  relations.  They  will 
excite  them  to  do  good  to  all  within  their  pow- 
er, to  relieve  the  distressed,  and  comfort  the  af- 
flicted ;  as  the  disciples  of  the  blessed  Jesus, 
who  went  about  doing  good,  that  they  may  be 
called  the  children  of  their  Father  which  is  in 
heaven. 

These  impressions  of  piety  will  induce  them 
to  love  and  shew  regard  to  all  good  men,  to  en- 
deavour to  imitate  their  example,  and  make 
them  disregard  or  avoid  the  society  of  all  wick- 
ed and  profligate  persons.  No  friendship  is  safe, 
but  what  is  founded  in  virtue ;  the  company  of 
worthless  men  is  dangerous  and  infectious. 
i(  He  that  walketh  with  wise  men,  shall  be  wise ; 
"  but  the  companion  of  fools  shall  be  destroy - 
<l  ed.  *"  Goodness  only  is  the  object  of  es- 
teem ;  power  and  riches  may  be  the  objects  of 
envy  and  covetousness,  but  never  can  be  of  es- 
teem. 


*  Prov.  xiii.  20. 


SUBSEQUENT  LIFE   AND  WALK.  261 

Finally,  to  keep  awake  all  those  good  senti- 
ments and  dispositions,  it  will  be  necessary, 
that  young  people,  as^n  expression  of  their  love 
and  trust  in  God,  make  secret  prayer  their  dai- 
ly employment.  This  will  preserve  on  their 
minds,  a  sense  of  Providence,  and  a  belief  of 
his  all-seeing  eye  ;  a  sense  also  of  their  own 
weakness,  of  the  manifold  dangers  and  tempta- 
tions with  which  they  are  surrounded,  and  their 
need  of  the  mercy  and  protection  of  God,  and 
be  a  means  of  obtaining  them. 

While  they  persevere  in  this  course  of  life, 
they  have  the  greatest  security,  that  the  constant 
and  affectionate  care  of  their  heavenly  Father 
will  ever  watch  over  them.  In  all  events,  he 
will  be  their  guide,  their  friend,  and  their  pro- 
tector ;  though  father  and  mother  should  for- 
sake them,  the  Lord  wili  take  them  up. 

Thus  pleads  King  Pavid,  his  early  acquaint- 
ance with  religion,  as  a  ground  of  hope,  that  in 
frailty  and  age  God  would  not  forsake  him  : 
•''  O  God,  thou  hast  taught  me  from  my  youth, 
"  and  hitherto  have  I  declared  thy  wondrous 
"  works.  Now  also,  when  I  am  old  and  gray- 
•'  headed,  O  God,  forsake  me  not.  *"  This 
also  was  the  last  and  most  important  advice  he 
gave  to  his  son  Solomon:  '•  And  thou  Solo- 
"  mon,  my  son,  know  thou  the  God  of  thy  fa~ 
il  ther,  and  serve  him  with  a  perfect  heart,  and 
M  with  a  willing  mind:  for  the  Lord  searcheth 
H  ail  nearts,  and  uuderstandeth  the  imaginations 


•  PsalxnlxNi.  17.18. 


262       WHAT  SHOULD  BE  THE  COMiMUNIC ANT's 

"  of  the  thoughts  :  If  thou  seek  him,  he  will 
"  be  found  of  thee ;  but  if  thou  forsake  him,  he 
"  will  cast  thee  off  for  ever.f" 

*  HAVING  hitherto  led  you  on  from  the 
nature  of  the  ordinance  to  the  dispositions  ne- 
cessary for  partaking  of  it,  and  the  frame  where- 
in we  should  approach  the  Lord's  Table,  I 
would  conclude  the  whole  with  some  considera- 
tions of  what  sort  our  after  consideration  should 
be,  and  by  what  means  we  may  be  enabled  so 
to  walk,  as  becomes  our  profession.  This  be- 
ing the  great  end  of  the  ordinance,  that  its  in- 
fluence may  abide  with  us,  and  that  it  be  not 
looked  upon  as  a  ceremonious  visit,  which  we 
may  forget  till  the  time  returns  again.  And 
here  I  solemnly  admonish  all  you,  who  have 
partaken  in  these  holy  mysteries,  to  take  heed 
to  yourselves,  lest  you  lose  the  things  you  have 
wrought.  Remember  Judas,  who  no  sooner 
received  the  sop,  but  Satan  entered  into  him ; 
and,  though  he  so  often  had  eat  and  drank  at 
Christ's  Table,  was  a  son  of  perdition,  and  be. 
trayed  his  master. — And  therefore  if,  as  we  have 
engaged,  we  would  take  Christ  for  our  master, 
and  live  as  his  faithful  and  covenant  servants, 
or  rather  brethren  and  friends,  then  must  we 
show  forth  the  following  conversation. 

1.  We  should  go  forth  into  the  world  pro- 
fessing his  name.     We  must  not  be  ashamed 

|   1  Chron.  xxviii-  9. 

•  Ilawels,.  Communicant's  Spiritual  Companion. 


SUBSEQUENT   LIFE   AXD  WALK.        '  llh* 

of  Christ,  nor  his  cause  ;  we  should  speak  for 
his  honour,  and  glory  in  his  cross.  Profession 
now  becomes  peculiarly  demanded  from  us  as 
Communicants  ;  and  whilst  in  these  evil  days, 
vital  Christianity  and  real  religion  is  branded 
with  every  opprobrious  name  that  an  ungodly 
world,  who  know  not  the  truth,  can  invent:  we 
must  heartily  welcome  these  reproaches,  and 
Walk  so  as  to  deserve  them :  not  silent,  hiding 
our  heads,  sealing  up  our  lips,  and  leaving  the 
world  to  their  own  ways,  but  by  an  open  decla- 
ration, at  every  proper  season  bearing  testimo- 
ny against  them,  that  their  works  are  evil;  bold- 
ly rebuking  vice  by  word  as  well  as  practice ; 
having  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works 
of  darkness,  but  separating  ourselves  from  all 
intimate  society  with  every  brother  who  walketh 
disorderly,  whose  conversation  agrees  not  with 
the  simplicity  of  the  gospel.  This  will  make 
us  singular,  it  is  true ;  we  shall  be  unlike  the 
world,  and  displease  the  world ;  but  wherefore 
did  we  meet  at  Christ's  Table,  but  to  make 
our  solemn  declaration  to  him,  that  we  are  not 
of  the  world,  even  as  he  is  not  of  the  world?  and 
how  shall  we  dare  be  so  unfaithful,  as  to  go 
forth  and  mix  again  familiarly,  and  as  bosom 
friends,  with  those  who  are  enemies  to  the  cross 
of  Christ,  who  glory  in  their  shame,  who  mind 
earthly  things  ?  To  take  up  our  cross,  and  fol- 
low Christ,  was  our  sacramental  vow.  But 
how  unfaithfully  have  many  of  you  hitherto  per- 
formed it  ?  How  utterly  strangers  are  you  this 
Jay  to  any  reproach  or  shame  for  Christ's  sake*7 


264      WHAT  SHOULD  BE  THE  COMMUVICANT's 

Where  is  your  cross  that  you  have  borne  in  the 
world?  Alas!  you  go  from  the  Lord's  Table 
and  return  again  to  the  world  just  as  before,  lost 
in  its  cares,  pleasures  and  vanities;  and  how 
then  should  the  world  possibly  have  any  quar- 
rel with  you?  Ye  are  of  the  world*  and  there- 
fore the  world  loves  its  own.  You  never  by 
your  professions  disturb  the  slumbers  or  secu- 
rity of  the  unawakened  souls  around  you;  the 
form  of  a  ceremonious  duty  will  reprove  no- 
body, unless  there  be  afterwards  something 
more  of  profession,  than  this  mere  act  of  com- 
municating. But  be  sincere,  and  then  you  can- 
not escape  ;  go  into  the  world,  speak  as  a  chris- 
tian, profess  your  views,  live  for  Christ,  and 
then  the  world  and  you  will  have  no  longer  fel- 
lowship; for  if  you  are  thus  chosen  out  of  the 
world,  the  world  cannot  but  hate  you.  Let. 
this,  brethren,  comfort  you  who  bear  forth 
Christ's  name  in  the  world,  as  well  as  at  his  Ta- 
ble ;  the  cross  is  an  honourable  badge,  to  be 
reproached  for  righteousness'  sake  is  happiness. 
The  remembrance  of  our  surrender  to  Christy 
will  make  us  count  ail  things  light  and  easy ; 
and  suffering  as  a  christian,  we  need  not  be  a- 
shamed;  we  know  in  whom  we  have  believed ; 
we  know  under  whose  banners  we  have  taken 
the  Sacrament  to  fight;  and  God  forbid  we 
should  quit  our  colours  for  shame,  reproach, 
evil  report,  dishonour  or  reviling,  yea,  though 
we  were  called  for  his  sake  to  prison  or  to  death. 
2.  We  must  practice  as  we  profess.  Going 
forth  to  give  up   our  whole  bodies,  souls  and 


SUBSEQUENT  LIFE   AND  WALK.  26<3 

spirits  to  Christ,  and  to  walk  worthy  the  high 
vocation  wherewith  we  are  called,  we  should 
carry  away  with  us  impressed  upon  our  hearts 
the  vows  we  have  made,  that  so  whenever  sin 
would  tempt  us,  we  may  have  this  answer  to 
make,  How  shall  I  do  this  wicked  thing,  and  sin 
against  God,  who  have  but  lately  so  solemnly 
given  up  myself  to  him  ?  If  Christ  hath  been 
pleased  to  take  us  for  his  own,  shall  we  rob  him 
of  the  purchase  of  his  blood,  and  dishonour  him 
who  hath  so  highly  exalted  us  ?  surely  this 
would  be  as  ungrateful  as  guilty.  The  eyes  of 
the  world  will  be  upon  us,  and  they  are  piercing 
and  quick.  If  they  see  our  conversation  to  be 
nothing  different  from  their  own,  they  will  say, 
What  do  ye  more  than  others  ?  and  what  advan- 
tage will  this  give  to  the  adversaries  of  the  Lord 
to  blaspheme "?  "  These,  say  they,  are  your 
"  Communicants  ;  here  they  are  all  devotion, 
"  but  go  home  with  them  from  Church,  and  you 
"  see  them  as  passionate  and  proud,  as  covetous 
"  and  worldly,  as  vain  and  trifling,  as  false  and 
"  deceitful,  as  any  of  their  neighbours. — And 
if  this  be  the  case  with  any  of  you,  brethren, 
what  a  curse  will  it  bring  upon  you  ?  what  a 
disgrace  will  it  be  to  your  profession !  and  how 
will  religion  be  wounded,  even  in  the  house  of 
its  friends,  by  your  unbecoming  conversation  ? 
May  not  the  adversaries  of  the  Lord  then  be 
hardened  in  their  sins,  and  confirmed  in  their 
prejudices,  whilst  they  see,  under  the  outward 
cloak  of  profession,  that  rank  hypocrisy  iurks 
within  :  and    saving  outward  appearance,  that 


266 

you  are  neither  more  humble,  more  holy,  more 
mortified,  more  heavenly- minded  than  them- 
selves ?  Surely  it  were  better  for  such  an  one, 
unless  mercy  restore  him,  that  a  millstone  were 
hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that  he  were  cast  in- 
to the  midst  of  the  sea,  than  that  ever  he  ap- 
proached the  Table  of  the  Lord.  But  if  you 
would  not  have  this  heavy  guilt  lying  upon  your 
souls,  then  you  must  labor  to  adorn  the  doctrine 
of  God  your  Saviour  in  all  things,  by  such  an 
unblameable  conduct,  that  they  who  seek  occa- 
sion against  you  may  be  disappointed,  and  find 
no  evil  thing  justly  to  say  of  you.  Your  lives 
should  be  as  the  light  of  the  morning,  which  shi- 
neth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day,  and 
your  works  such  as  may  glorify  your  Father  which 
is  in  heaven.  Then,  if  men  speak  evil  of  your 
good  conversation  in  Christ,  these  adversaries  of 
the  Lord  shall  be  found  liars  ;  and  all  who  will 
inquire  even  here,  will  detect  their  malice  ;  and 
in  the  great  day  of  the  Lord,  they  shall  be  cover- 
ed with  confusion,  and  receive  the  reward  of  ly- 
ing lips  and  a  deceitful  tongue,  in  the  lake 
which  burnetii  with  fire  and  brimstone,  which  is 
the  second  death. 

3.  We  must  go  forth  particularly  to  exercise 
the  duties  of  our  respective  stations  and  rela- 
tions in  life.  Herein  especially  the  power  of  reli- 
gion is  shewn  forth  ;  a  passionate  master,  a  fret- 
ful mistress,  a  haughty  husband,  a  self-willed 
wife,  a  cruel  father,  an  undutiful  son,  a  slothful 
servant,  or  a  false  friend,  none  of  these  can 
have  any  just  pretensions  to  real  Christianity* 


SUBSEQUENT  LIFE  AND  WALK.  267 

To  suppose  it  possible,  would  be  supposing  a 
contradiction  possible,  that  light  and  darkness, 
Christ  and  Belial  could  agree.  Particularly 
watchfulness  will  be  needful.  In  every  family 
lies  the  greatest  proof  of  the  sincerity  of  the 
members  of  it:  they  will  prove  their  fidelity  to 
Christ  by  their  love  one  towards  another,  shown 
in  the  conscientious  discharge  of  their  several 
relations ;  the  master  ruling  with  gentleness, 
the  servant  laboring  with  cheerfulness  and  fide- 
lity ;  the  husband  kind  and  tender,  the  wife 
meek  and  obedient ;  the  father  mixing  parental 
affection  with  correction,  the  son  manifesting 
filial  love  with  dutiful  submission,  and  so  in 
every  other  case.  This  will  make  our  houses 
temples ;  and  the  charity,  forbearance,  patience 
and  submission,  shown  one  to  another  in  such 
families,  will  be  the  most  convincing  proof  that 
Christ  really  dwells  under  that  roof :  and  such 
it  is  required  of  Communicants  to  be  :  and  to- 
wards those  who  are  without,  the  same  spirit 
must  show  itself. 

(1.)  In  the  uprightness  of  all  our  dealings,  in 
our  intercourse  with  the  world  :  We  shall  not  go 
beyond^  or  defraud  our  brother  in  any  matter >  but 
rendering  to  every  man  their  dues,  shall  owe  no 
man  any  thing.  We  shall  do  our  work  as  under 
the  bonds  of  the  covenant,  not  with  eye  service, 
as  men  pleasers,  but  as  the  servants  of  the  Lord, 
doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart.  We  shall 
deal  with  each  other  in  the  simplicity  which  is  in 
Christ,  renouncing  every  hidden  work  of  disho- 
nesty, and  abhorring  the  appearances  of  fraud 


268         WHAT  SHOULD  BE  THE  COM&UXIC ANT's 

and  injustice.  And  thus  walking  under  an  high- 
er  principle  than  the  world  is  ever  acquainted 
with,  even  under  the  eye,  and  as  in  the  presence 
of  a  heart  searching  God,  shall  convince  even 
those  we  cannot  convert^  that  there  is  a  power 
in  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  to  do  that  which 
nothing  upon  earth  can  do  besides. 

(2.)  We  must  show  it  in  the  meekness  of  our 
conversations.  The  power  of  religion  is  glori- 
ous, when  it  tames  the  impetuosity  of  our  pas- 
sions, softens  our  severity  into  mildness,  and 
puts  a  bridle  both  on  our  hearts  and  tongues. 
Coming  from  the  table  of  a  meek  and  lowly  Je- 
sus, we  must  needs  learn  of  him  to  be  meek  and 
lowly  of  heart,  if  we  would  find  rest  unto  our 
souls.  It  is  strange  hypocrisy  to  come  with  pre- 
tence of  seeking  the  wisdom  that  is  from  above, 
which  isjirst  pure,  then  peaceable^  gentle^  easy 
to  be  entreated,  and  going  home  to  disturb  all 
around  us  by  our  passions  and  perverseness  ; 
instead  of  gentleness,  to  be  a  lion  in  our  house, 
and  frantic  among  our  servants ;  instead  of  easi- 
ness to  be  entreated,  implacable  and  unmerci- 
ful ;  this  is  not  to  partake  of  the  Table  of  the 
Lord,  but  the  table  of  devils,  for  these  are  the 
dispositions  of  Satan.  Let  this  thing,  brethren, 
be  seriously  attended  to,  let  it  appear  what 
Christ  at  his  Table  hath  done  for  you,  by  the 
change  wrought  in  your  temper,  by  the  mild- 
ness, sweetness,  compassion^  forbearance  and 
gentleness  of  your  conversation. 

(3.)  Be  temperate  in  all  things.  In  the  world* 
that  its  anxious  cares  -and  concerns  do  not  en- 


SUBSEQUENT   LIFE  AND    WALK.  26  9 

gage  you  immoderately.  In  your  body,  that  you 
deny  its  cravings,  making  no  provision  for  the 
flesh,  by  sloth,  drunkenness,  gluttony  or  plea- 
sure, to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof :  They  that  are 
Christ's,  have  both  crucified  the  world  and  the 
flesh  with  its  affections  and  lusts.  A  worldly  co- 
vetous Communicant,  a  drunken  intemperate 
Communicant,  a  lewd  and  carnal  Communicant, 
what  a  contrast !  How  absurd  !  Can  we  re- 
ceive the  body  of  Christ  in  one  hand,  whilst  we 
grasp  the  world  in  the  other  ?  Can  the  same 
eyes  that  have  looked  upon  a  crucified  Saviour, 
indulge  wantonness  or  be  greedy  of  gain  ?  can 
these  hearts  that  have  been  made  the  temples  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  erect  the  altar  of  mammon 
there,  or  entertain  those  vile  affections  which 
must  defile  the  sacred  place  ?  Let  it  appear  then 
that  you  are  now  no  longer  debtors  to  the  flesh, 
to  live  after  the  flesh  ;  that  the  world  is  crucified 
unto  you,  and  you  unto  the  world ;  that  you  have 
higher  enjoyments  than  flesh  or  sense,  and  no- 
bler prospects  than  earth  can  give  you ;  and 
this  may  well  make  you  dead  to  the  love  of 
worldly  things,  and  temperate  in  the  use  of 
them. 

(4.)  Show  forth  your  love  to  your  brethren. 
As  good  stewards  of  the  manifold  gifts  of  God, 
according  as  God  hath  given  to  every  one,  let  him 
minister  the  same  to  him  that  lacketh.  Do  we 
abound  in  riches  ?  let  us  abound  also  in  libera- 
lity. Have  we  but  little  ?  let  us  show  our  dili- 
gence to  give  of  that  little.  The  trifle  we  contri- 
bute at  the  Table,  should  be  as  the  first  fruits, 
A  a 


270        WHAT  SHOULD  BE  THE  COMMUNICANT'S 

to  sanctify  our  other  gifts,  in  token  that  we  do 
them  all  in  Christ's  name,  and  for  his  sake.  But 
there  are  other  and  far  greater  demonstrations  of 
love,  which  we  are  called  to  exercise  towards  our 
brethren,  than  the  relief  of  their  poverty,  such  as 
bearing  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  condescend- 
ing to  the  meanest,  ready  to  help  them  with  our 
presence,  advice  or  influence,  where  any  or  all 
of  these  may  be  necessary  ;  counting  none  be- 
neath  our  notice  or  regard  ;  seeing  the  unspeak- 
able condescensions  of  Christ  to  us,  who,  though 
he  was  in  the  form  of  God,  and  thought  it  no 
robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  yet  humbled  him' 
self  and  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took 
upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant.  Have  we  really 
seen  him  come  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to 
minister  ?  Have  M  e  seen  his  love  in  giving  his  life 
a  ransom  for  us  ?  How  ought  we  then  to  love 
one  another,  yea,  to  be  ready,  to  lay  down,  if 
need  be,  our  lives  for  the  brethren,  for  how  dear 
oughtthose  bodies  to  be  to  us,  for  which  Christ's 
body  was  given  ?  How  precious  ought  those 
souls  to  be  in  our  eyes,  for  which  Christ's  soul 
was  sorrowful,  even  unto  death  ?  This  universal 
love  to  all,  but  especially  to  those  who  are  of  the 
household  of  faith,  we  must  bring  into  exercise, 
that  so  all  men  may  know  we  are  Christ's  disci- 
ples, by  that  unfeigned  affection  we  bear  one  to- 
wards another. 

(5.)  Our  conversation  after  this  ordinance 
should  be  more  heavenly.  What  hath  a  Chris- 
tian any  longer  to  do  among  the  tombs  of  this 
world,  who  is  come  from  remembering  a  living, 


SUBSEQUENT  JL1FE  AND  WALK.  271 

dying,  risen  and  ascended  Saviour?  Our  con- 
versation, says  St.  Paul,  is  in  heaven,  from 
whence  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Have  we  there  remembered  his  coming 
again  ?  what  have  we  then  to  do  but  to  make 
ready  for  it,  that  our  affections  being  set  on 
things  in  heaven,  not  on  things  on  earth,  wre  may 
welcome  the  day  of  his  appearance  and  glory. 
Here  is  the  grand  evidence  of  a  Christian.  Others 
direct  all  their  aims,  pursuits  and  designs  after 
the  things  which  are  seen,  and  are  temporal  ;  he 
seeks  always  the  things  above,  the  things  which 
are  unseen  to  others,  but  realized  by  faith  to 
him,  and  most  important,  because  eternal.  See 
that  this  be  your  experience,  that  every  time 
you  communicate,  you  find  the  effects  of  it  thus 
evident,  in  lifting  up  your  hearts  after  Christ  in 
the  heavens  ;  in  quickening  your  preparation  to 
meet  him  in  the  clouds,  and  continually  making 
you  more  ready  and  disposed  for  that  inheri- 
tance among  the  saints  in  light,  which  in  the  or- 
dinance was  sealed  to  you,  and  to  which  you 
were  called. 

Such  should  be  our  conversation  after  every 
sacramental  occasion,  that  all  who  see  us  maj- 
take  knowledge  of  us  that  we  have  been  with 
Jesus  ;  and  behold  from  our  walk  the  bright- 
ness of  the  grace  communicated  to  us,  making 
us  shine  as  lights  in  the  world,  like  Moses"*  face 
wrhen  he  came  down  from  the  mount  of  vision. 
I  would  to  God  this  was  more  the  case  ;  and  that 
all  who  have  been  joined  to  the  Lord  in  bonds  of 
outward  communion  with  him,    were  thus  one 


272      WHAT  SHOULD  BE  THE  COjUMUNIC ANT'S 

spirit  with  him  ;  walked  more  as  Christ  walked. 
I  am  very  sure  it  is  the  great  grief  of  every  tru- 
ly Christian  heart,  whenever  they  behold  the 
contrary,  and  see  these  spots  at  our  feasts,  feast- 
ing themselves  without  fear ',  for  whom  is  reserv- 
ed the  blackness  of  darkness  forever.  May  you 
and  I  fear  for  ourselves,  and  give  greater  dili- 
gence to  make  our  calling  and  election  sure,  con- 
tinuing to  walk  thus  as  persons  professing  god- 
liness. In  order  to  which,  we  shall  find  the 
following  means  most  highly  conducive  ;  and  I 
pray  God  you  may  have  such  desires  thus  to 
give  up  your  hearts  to  God,  as  heartily  to  ex- 
ercise yourselves  unto  godliness  in  all  the 
ways  the  Spirit  points  out  to  you  ;  and  these  are 
chiefly, 

1.  Watchfulness. 

c2.   Prayer. 

&.  The  Word. 

4.  The  Company  of  l  i  v e  l  y  Christians. 

1.  To  walk  as  becometh  your  Christian  pro- 
fession, you  must  be  watchful.  The  enemies 
whom  you  renounce  are  mightier  than  you, 
wise,  watchful  and  ensnaring. — The  devil  con- 
tinually spreads  his  toils,  and  is  never  perhaps 
busier  with  us  than  after  such  a  season,  when 
the  fervor  of  devotion  being  somewhat  abated, 
our  hearts  are  more  exposed  to  his  attacks  ; 
then  he  would  step  in,  tempt  us  to  return  unto 
folly,  follow  his  insinuations  with  some  bait  laid 
in  our  way,  and  so  work  upon  the  remainders 
of  corruption  within  us,  in  order  to  betray  us 
into  his  hands.     Thus  after  the  sop,   Satan  en- 


SUBSEQUENT  LIFE   AND  WALK.  27 V 

tered  into  Judas*  As  not  ignorant  therefore  of 
his  devices,  we  should  especially  beware  of  se- 
curity. Let  not  him  that  putt eth  on  the  armour, 
boast  as  he  who  taketh  it  off.  When  the  cold 
turf  cov  ers  our  head,  then  the  wicked  will  cease 
from  troubling,  and  the  weary  have  perfect  rest ; 
but  here  every  step  we  take  we  are  among  lions, 
and  must  stand  on  our  watch-tower,  fearing  al- 
ways, and  working  out  our  salvation  with  that 
trembling  and  care  which  can  only  secure  it.  A 
holy  jealousy  is  the  great  preservative  against 
falling  away.  The  moment  we  begin  to  slum- 
ber, our  watchful  adversary  is  ready  to  take  ad- 
vantage against  us  :  but  blessed  is  the  man  whom 
his  Lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  watching. 

2.  Prayer  is  the  greatest  means  of  preserving 
the  influence  of  this  ordinance  upon  our  hearts. 
This  is  closely  connected  with  the  former, 
watchfulness  and  prayer  go  together ;  we  must 
pray  that  we  may  watch,  and  continue  watching 
unto  prayer.  It  is  not  enough  once  to  draw  nigh 
unto  God.  but  we  should  daily  be  keeping  near 
to  him,  and  upon  our  knees  in  our  closets  acting 
over  again  that  surrender  which  we  have  made 
at  the  table.  Prayer  is  the  breath  of  the  divine 
nature,  of  the  new  creation  begun  in  us,  and 
by  it  we  should  be  offering  up  our  souls  daily 
to  him.  from  whom  cometh  our  salvation.  By 
prayer  we  should  seek  to  maintain  an  holy  frame 
of  spirit,  appearing  solemnly  and  frequently  hi 
secret  in  God's  presence,  that  we  may  habitual- 
ly walk  under  the  sense  of  it.  Whoever  hath 
any  experience  of  divine  things,  will  find  his 
a  a  2 


274      WHAT  SHOULD  BE  THE  COMMUNIC ANl's 

constant  need,  and  the  gracious  influence  of  ear- 
nest  and  importunate  prayer  ;  such  an  one  can- 
not but  pray,  all  his  soul  depends  upon  it,  he 
knows  he  shall  quickly  grow  careless  the  mo- 
ment he  becomes  prayerless ;  and  therefore  he 
remarks  the  smallest  decays  in  private  prayer, 
stirs  up  his  soul  to  the  lively  exercise  of  it,  and 
pleads  for  the  Spirit  to  blow  up  the  fire  of  all 
holy  graces  in  his  heart.  To  neglect  prayer,  or 
to  perform  it  with  an  habitual  negligence  and 
formality,  is  a  most  suspicious  sign  that  all  ap- 
proaches to  God  at  his  table  were  mere  matters 
of  form,  the  work  of  a  day,  not  the  spiritual  ex- 
ercises of  the  heart,  desiring  nearness  to,  and 
communion  with  God  ;  for  where  this  is  the  case 
in  one  ordinance,  it  must  be  so  in  another  :  they 
who  long  to  see  Christ  at  his  table,  are  daily  set- 
ling  him  before  them,  when  they  bow  their 
knees  at  his  footstool ;  and  this  both  prepares 
the  way  before,  and  keeps  alive  the  sense  of 
what  they  have  found  at  Christ's  communion 
afterwards.  Pray  therefore,  1  beseech  you,  with- 
out ceasing,  as  you  hope  to  stand  fast,  as  you 
would  be  true  to  your  engagements,  as  you  pro- 
fess the  name  of  Christian,  as  you  would  walk 
as  Lecometh  your  profession,  as  you  would 
show  forth  the  sincerity  of  your  surrender  to 
Christ  by  the  discharge  of  your  several  relations 
in  life,  as  you  would  have  your  conversation  in 
heaven,  1  beseech  you  be  diligent  in  private 
prayer ;  else  you  will  dishonour  your  vocation, 
you  will  walk  in  disobedience,  as  do  others ; 
you  will  have  your  conversation  upon  earth,  you 


SUBSEQUENT  LIFE  A  XT)  WALK.  2?\> 

will  be  a  slave  to  the  world  ;  and  notwithstand- 
ing all  you  may  do  besides,  your  fall  will  be 
more  dreadful,  and  your  ruin  most  inevitable. 
You  must  pray  or  perish. 

3.  The  word  of  God  is  another  great  means 
to  keep  us  from  falling.  Herein  we  must  exer- 
cise ourselves  day  and  night.  Out  of  it  we  must 
be  taught  the  way  wherein  we  must  go.  This 
must  be  the  guide  to  our  feet*  and  the  lantern  to 
our  paths  ;  and  in  our  course  to  glory,  be  our 
map  and  chart.  Communion  seasons  are  places 
of  refreshment  in  the  way,  to  strengthen  us  for 
our  journey  :  Christ  in  the  Word  is  the  way  it- 
self, in  which  after  such  refreshment  we  are  to 
walk.  To  the  Word  therefore  you  must  apply, 
to  know  more  perfectly  the  mind  of  God,  that 
you  may  follow  it  more  faithfully ;  and  if  you 
have  been  sincere  with  Christ,  you  will  do  so  ; 
1  made  haste,  and  delayed  not  to  keep  thy  com- 
mandments ;  you  will  keep  the  scriptures  upon 
your  heart,  rising  up  and  lying  down ;  they  will 
be  daily  in  your  hands  at  any  season  of  leisure, 
and  particularly  before  you  set  yourself  to  the 
exercise  of  prayer.  This  is  the  way  to  be  taught 
of  God,  and  instructed  in  the  way  that  you 
should  go.  You  will  find  thus  your  heart  built 
up,  more  determined  for  Christ,  and  more  sted- 
fast  in  his  service ;  having  set  his  command- 
ments ever  before  you,  and  being  stedfastlv  pur- 
posed  through  grace  not  to  sin  against  them. 

4.  Lastly,  The  company  of  lively  Christians 
is  a  choice  means  and  wondrous  help  to  keep 
alive  the  serious  impressions  made  upon  th? 


276       WHAT  SHOULD   BE  THE   COMMUNICANT'S 

soul.  As  iron  sharpen  eth  iron,  so  does  the  cou?i- 
tenance  of  a  man  his  friend. — Experience  will 
best  confirm  the  truth  of  this  observation.  Man 
is  by  nature  social,  needing  the  help  one  of  ano- 
ther ;  and  Christians  more  so  than  other  men, 
Mho  have  new  and  stronger  bands  than  nature 
to  unite  them,  and  have  many  enemies  that  none 
others  know.  To  associate  therefore  for  the  pur- 
poses of  religious  improvement,  is  not  more 
comfortable  than  necessary  ;  How  can  one  be 
warm  (done?  says  the  Prophet.  But  when  we 
join  to  exhort,  reprove,  rebuke,  and  admonish 
one  another,  then  the  fire  catches  from  heart  to 
heart,  each  receives  some  quickening,  or  con- 
solation, or  correction  from  the  other's  expe- 
rience and  conversation  ;  and  thus  the  commu- 
nion of  saints  before  the  Lord  is  still  maintain- 
ed, till  the  season  returns  when  we  shall  come 
together  again  in  God's  house,  and  renew  the 
bonds  of  union  and  fellowship  one  with  another. 
Let  me  therefore  recommend  it  to  you  to  seek 
the  company  of  those,  whose  course  and  con- 
duct is  most  holy,  heavenly,  and  zealous ;  to  be 
free  one  with  another ;  to  open  your  hearts,  as 
Christians,  in  that  mutual  confidence,  which 
none  but  real  Christians  have  any  experience 
of,  to  delight  in  social  prayer,  and  be  desirous 
to  join  in  it  whenever  you  have  opportunity.  A 
conduct  indeed,  which,  to  those  who  know  no- 
thing of  heart-religion,  is  always  unpleasant  or 
offensive  ;  but  which  all,  who  have  seriously  set 
their  souls  to  seek  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the 
first  place,  have  found  both  most  necessary  to 


SUBSEQUENT    LIFE  AND  WALK.  277 

keep  alive  their  holy  purposes,  and  most  con- 
ducive  to  the  comfort  as  well  as  edification  of 
their  souls. 

In  this  way  you  will  always  be  progressing  in 
Christian  knowledge  and  experience,  and  becom- 
ing riper  for  glory  as  you  advance  towards  it. 
You  will  be  walking  in  an  holy  conformity  to 
your  profession,  and  approving  your  fidelity  to 
Christ  your  Master.  And  thus  from  eating  and 
drinking  at  Christ's  table  below,  you  will  shortly 
go  to  drink  with  him  the  new  wine  of  eternal 
consolation  in  the  kingdom  of  your  Father. 


FREQUENT    COMMUNICATING    PROVED    FROM    THE 
SCRIPTURES   AND   ANCIENT  FATHERS. 


Ti 


HE  Lord's  Supper  is  the  ordinance  our 
Saviour  has  peculiarly  set  apart  to  keep  up  the 
remembrance  of  his  sufferings  and  death.  There 
we  see  the  loving  and  lovely  Jesus  laying  down 
his  life  as  a  sacrifice  and  atonement  for  our  sins ; 
and  shedding  his  precious  blood  to  purchase  for 
us  a  happiness  large  as  our  wishes,  and  lasting 
as  eternity.  We  see  the  Lord  of  Life  suffering 
a  painful,  an  ignominious,  an  accursed  Death  ; 
that  by  thus  fulfilling  the  condition  of  the  cove- 
nant of  redemption,  he  might  secure  grace  and 
glory,  and  every  good  thing,  not  to  us  onl'v,  but 


'  From  Dr.  Erskine's  Theological  Dissertations. 


278       FREQUENT  COMMUNICATING  PROVED  FROM 

to  an  innumerable  multitude,  which  no  man  can 
number \  of  all  tongues,  and  kindreds,  an(l  na- 
tions, and  languages.  We  behold  the  height  and 
depth,  the  length  and  breadth  of  divine  love  to 
a  perishing  world:  of  the  Father's  love,  in  in- 
flicting upon  him  such  unparallelled  sufferings, 
that  we  might  not  suffer ;  of  his  own  love  and 
condescension  in  cheerfully  bearing  them.  We 
behold  the  Son  of  Man  glorified,  in  bearing  that 
load  of  wrath,  without  fainting  under  it,  which 
would  have  sunk  a  whole  w7orld  in  irrecoverable 
misery.  We  behold  God  glorified  in  him,  and 
all  the  divine  perfections  shining  with  united 
lustre,  the  justice  of  God  sweetly  combining 
with  his  mercy  to  punish  our  Surety,  that  we 
the  offenders  might  be  forgiven.  From  a  deep 
and  heart-affecting  sense,  that  we,  and  all  the 
children  of  men,  who  obtain  salvation,  must  be 
wholly  indebted  to  that  amazing  transaction  for 
obtaining  it,  we  are  made  to  say,  "  God  forbid 
that  we  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  Christ. 
We  will  remember  thy  love  more  than  wine  : 
we  will  rejoice  in  thy  salvation ;  and  iii  the  name 
of  thee,  our  God,  will  we  lift  up  our  banners  : 
for  thou,  Lord,  hast  made  us  glad  through  thy 
work,  and  we  will  triumph  in  the  works  of  thy 
hands.  Thanks  be  unto  God  for  his  unspeaka- 
ble gift :  and  blessed  be  he  who  hath  come  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  to  save  us.  Hosannah  in 
the  highest. 

Ask  your  own  hearts,  0  Christians,  are  you 
in  any  danger  of  remembering  these  things  too 
much  ?  And  if  you  remember  them  at  all,  can 


THE    SCRIPTURES   AND  ANCIENT  FATHERS.       279 

you  do  it  in  any  better  method  than  that  which 
infinite  wisdom  has  prescribed  ? 

Suppose  a  Friend,  who  has  received  a  deadly 
wound  in  defending  us  from  danger,  should, 
when  about  to  expire,  present  us  with  his  pic- 
ture, and  recommend  it  to  us  with  his  dying 
breath,  to  keep  it  as  a  token  and  remembrance 
of  his  friendship  and  affection,  what  would  gra- 
titude oblige  us  to  do?  Would  we  cast  it  into 
some  by- corner  out  of  sight  ?  Would  we  suf- 
fer it  to  be  sullied  with  dust  ?  or  buried  under 
lumber,  neglected  and  forgotten  ?  Would  we 
not  rather  hang  it  in  our  chief  room  ?  Wrould 
we  not  honour  it,  not  only  by  care  to  preserve 
it  from  abuse,  but  by  frequent  looks,  thereby 
to  renew,  and,  if  possible,  to  increase  an  affec- 
tionate remembrance  how  much  we  were  in- 
debted to  our  departed  Friend  ? — Can  we  then 
pretend  to  honour  our  Redeemer^  when  we  an- 
swer his  care  in  providing  and  recommending 
his  Supper  as  a  representative  of  his  death,  by 
a  contrary  care,  in  seeking  pretences  to  lay  it 
aside  ? 

The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  visible  badge  of  our 
Christian  profession. — Nature  has  taught  man- 
kind, and  God  himself  has  confirmed  it,  that 
every  religion  should  have  some  solemn  rite 
whereby  it  may  be  known  to  the  very  eye,  from 
other  religions.  Circumcision,  the  passover,  &c. 
under  the  Mosaic  economy,  were  all  intended 
(not  excluding  other  ends)  to  be  signs  between 
God  and  his  people,  i.  e.  rites  whereby  they 
might    be    distinguished  from  idolaters :    and 


280    FREQUENT  COMMUNICATING  PROVED  FROM 

therefore  a  terrible  threatening  was  levelled  a- 
gainst  the  neglecters  of  these  rites,  that  soul 
must  be  cut  off  from  his  people  :  he  has  put  off 
the  badge  of  my  people,  and  therefore  must  not 
share  in  their  privileges.  All  this  being  highly 
rational,  Christianity  has  its  distinguishing  rites, 
as  well  as  Judaism  had. 

Prayer,  thanksgiving,  and  such-like  holy  ex- 
ercises, are  common  to  almost  all  religions,  and 
observed  by  the  Jew,  the  Turk,  and  the  Hea- 
then, as  well  as  the  Christian. — Baptism  we  re- 
ceive in  our  infancy,  and  without  our  own  con- 
sent; and  is  therefore  rather  a  proof  of  God's  good- 
ness to  us  than  an  evidence  of  our  Christian  profes- 
sion. But  by  partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
we  distinguish  ourselves  from  all  who  despise  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  and  testify,  in  the  most  public 
manner  our  regard  to  a  crucified  Saviour,  our 
concern  to  keep  up  the  remembrance  of  his 
death,  and  our  resolutions  to  adhere  to  him  and 
his  cause,  while  by  others  it  is  disregarded  and 
set  at  naught. 

Our  Lord,  well  knowing  how  reluctant  we  are 
to  undertake  any  thing  difficult,  although  for  the 
sake  of  him  who  was  our  best  Benefactor,  would 
not  burden  us  with  a  number  of  troublesome 
ceremonies:  and  therefore  he  only  appointed 
this  one  ordinance,  by  which  we  should  openly 
declare  ourselves  on  Christ's  side,  and  proclaim 
to  the  world  our  grateful,  affectionate  sense  of 
his  unparalleled  love.  Ought  we  not,  then,  to 
be  frequent  in  thus  openly  confessing  Christ 
before  men,  while  too  many  are  ashamed  of  him 


THE   SCRIPTURES  A  NO  ANCIENT  FATHERS,     281 

and  his  words  in  this  adulterous  and  perverse 
generation  ? 

The  Lord's  supper  is  also  intended  as  a  seal 
and  confirmation  of  the  fulness  and  freedom  of 
the  offers  of  grace  in  the  everlasting  gospel.  For 
as  really  as  the  minister  offers  the  bread  and 
wine  to  the  communicants,  so  really  God  the 
Father  offers  Christ,  the  bread  of  life,  to  every 
one  of  us  for  the  nourishment  of  our  souls. — 
And  are  there  any,  whose  faith  is  so  lively  and 
vigorous,  that  they  seldom  need  the  help  of  this 
ordinance  to  strengthen  and  increase  it? 

Is  not  the  Lord's  supper  an  ordinance,  in 
which  God  is  often  pleased  to  vouchsafe  special 
communion  with  himself,  and  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ  ?  Does  it  not  greatly  tend,  through  the 
divine  blessing,  to  strengthen  the  communion 
of  the  mystical  body  of  Christ,  and  to  warm  and 
enlarge  our  affection  to  all  who  love  our  Lord 
Jesus  in  sincerity  ?  Does  knot  often  prove  meat 
indeed,  and  drink  indeed,  to  the  fainting  soul; 
a  means  to  convey  large  measures  of  spiritual 
nourishment  and  growth  in  grace  ?  Indeed,  suit- 
able impressions  of  Chrisfs  loving  us,  and  giv- 
ing himself  for  us  a  sacrifice  and  an  offering  to 
God,  of  a  sweet-smelling  savour,  are  the  great 
means  by  which  holy  dispositions  are  begun, 
carried  on,  and  perfected  in  the  soul.  And 
what  can  tend  more  to  awaken  a  lively  sense  of 
these  things,  than  beholding  the  symbols  of  the 
broken  body  and  shed  blood  of  Christ?  How 
many,  who  went  to  the  Lord's  table  feeble  and 
faint-hearted,  have  received  such.plenteous  com- 
B  B 


282    FREQUENT   COMMUNIC A-TING  PROVED  FROM 

munications  of  light  and  life  from  the  glorious 
head  of  influences,  that  they  have  been  made 
to  renew  their  strength,  to  mount  up  with  wings 
as  eagles,  to  run  and  not  be  weary,  to  walk  and 
not  faint  ? 

Who  is  there  amongst  us, -whose  need  of  the 
Lord's  supper,  for  one  or  other  of  the  above 
purposes,  does  not  frequently  return?  Has,  then, 
God  provided  for  us  so  rich  an  entertainment*? 
Does  he  allow  us  often  to  regale  ourselves  with 
it ;  yea,  even  invite  us  in  the  most  warm  and 
earnest  manner?  And,  is  it  not  a- contempt  of 
the  goodness  and  condescension  of  God,  and 
injuring  our  own  spiritual  interests,  to  neglect 
any  opportunity  of  sitting  down  at  the  table  of 
the  Lord?  *  Our  soul-necessities,"  says  the  ju- 
dicious Mr.  Willison,*,  "  do  call  for  frequen- 
cy in  partaking  :  for  we  are  oft  ready  to  forget 
Christ,  and  therefore  we  oft  need  this  ordinance 
to  bring  him  to  our  remembrance.  We  are  oft 
subject  to  spiritual  deadness,  weakness  of  faith, 
and  decays  of  grace ;  and  therefore  have  fre- 
quent need  of  this  ordinance  for  strength  and 
quickening.  There  is  ground  to  fear,  that  the 
unfrequent  celebration  and  participation  of  this 
blessed  feast,  which  Christ  hath  prepared  for  us, 
is  an  evil  that  many  in  his  church  are  charge- 
able with,  and  for  which  the  Lord  may  plead  a 
controversy  with  us.  How  can  we  expect  but 
he  will  depart  from  us,  when  we  stand  at  such 
a  distance  from  him,  and  come  so  seldom  near 

-^ —  -  -  —  -  — ^ 

*  Sacramental  Catechism,  p,  86.  and  Preface,  p.  9. 


MIL   SCRIPTURES   AND   ANCIENT   EATHERS.      283 

him  in  the  method  he  hath  appointed  ?  Can  we 
look  for  the  smiles  of  Christ's  countenance, 
when  we  live  so  much  in  the  neglect  of  his  dy- 
ing words?  Is  it  any  wonder  our  hearts  are  so 
hard,  when  we  are  so  seldom  applying  the  blood 
of  Christ  for  softening  them  I  or  that  our  graces 
be  so  weak  and  withered,  when  we  so  little  use 
the  means  for  strengthening  and  cherishing 
them?  Is  not  the  frequent  use  of  this  ordinance, 
in  the  way  Christ  hath  appointed*  an  excellent 
help  to  soften  our  hearts,  renew  our  repentance, 
strengthen  our  faith,  inflame  our  love,  increase 
our  thankfulness,  animate  our  resolutions  a- 
gainst  sin,  and  encourage  us  to  holy  duties; 
and  shall  we  willingly  neglect  it?  It  is  no  won- 
der that  we  complain  we  miss  what  we  aim  at 
and  expect  in  this  ordinance,  when  we  are  so 
little  sensible  of  former  neglects.  It  is  a  sad 
sign  our  receiving  of  the  sacrament  is  not  right, 
when  it  leaves  not  in  us  earnest  breathings  for 
the  like  opportunity.  It  is  impossible  for  us  to, 
meet  with  Christ,  and  taste  of  his  sweetness  and 
fulness  in  this  ordinance,  and  not  long  for  ano- 
ther meeting." 

The  two  preceding  paragraphs  abundantly 
prove,  that  if  frequent  communicating  can- 
not be  urged  as  absolutely  necessary,  it  may 
safely  be  recommended  as  highly  expedient 
and  beneficial.  But,  perhaps,  upon  inquiry, 
we  shall  find  in  scripture  an  express  injunction 
of  frequency  in  partaking  of  the  Lord's  supper. 
Fou  that  a  prince  should  require  a  tribute  to  be 
paid  him  by  every  one  of  his  subjects,  and  yet 


*84  FREQUENT  COMMUNICATING  PROVED  EROM 

never  express  what  sum  should  be  paid,  and  at 
what  time,  is  incredible.  In  like  manner,  I 
cannot  easily  bring  myself  to  believe,  that  our 
Lord  should  require  his  church,  to  the  end  of 
the  world,  to  eat  bread,  and  drink  wine,  in  com- 
memoration of  his  death,  without  specifying 
how  often  he  would  have  it  done. — The  Jews, 
though  they  understood  not  the  utmost  signifi- 
cation of  the  Paschal  rite,  yet  had  full  direc- 
tions how  often,  and  in  what  day,  they  were  to 
sacrifice  and  eat  the  lamb.  If,  then,  the  word 
€)f  God  has  assigned  no  precise  time  for  partak- 
ing of  the  Lord's  supper,  will  it  not  follow,  that 
the  gospel  is  more  obscure  than  the  law ;  and 
that  our  Lord,  when  he  took  the  vail  from  off 
Moses's  face,  covered  with  a  thicker  vail  his 
own  ? 

We  are  told  of  Peter's  converts,  *  that  they 
continued  stedfastly  in  the  apostle' *s  doctrine  r 
and  In  fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread,  and 
in  prayer.  The  words  »*•*«  *pr»«r>fM*«i  which  we 
render  continued  stedfastly,  properly  denote  con- 
stancy ,  or  perseverance  in  an  exercise,  or  wait- 
i?lg  continually  upon  any  thing,  as  appears  from 
the  use  of  the  same  word,  f  And,  therefore, 
whatever  is  meant  by  breaking  of  bread,  it  is 
plain  they  were  as  constant  in  that,  as  in  attend- 
ing on  the  apostle's  doctrine,  and  in  public 
prayer. 

It  is  said  of  the  same  persons,  %  And  they,. 


*  Acts,  ii.  42.        f  Acts,  i.  14.  vi.  4.  viii.  13.  and  x.  7.  Rom- 
xii.  12.  andxiii.  (5.        i  Acts,  ii.  46. 


THE  SCRIPTURES  AND   ANCIENT  FATHERS.     2&0 

continuing  daily  with  one  accord  in  the  temple, 
and  breaking  bread  in  a  house,  did  participate  the 
food  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart. 

Suppose  we  were  to  retain  the  common  trans- 
lation, breaking  of  bread  from  house  to  house. 
that  would  tx  no  conclusive  argument,  that  the" 
Lord's  supper  is  not  intended;  for  the  multi- 
tude of  the  faithful  might  render  it  inconvenient 
for  aii  to  partake  of  the  sacrament  in  one  house, 
and  on  that  account  it  might  have  been  dispense 
ed  successively,  in  different  houses. 

From  this  jpassage,  it  is  probable,  that  the 
church  at  Jerusalem  received  the  Lord's  sup- 
per every  day. 

The  next  passage  to  our  purpose  is,  *  And 
upon  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the  dis- 
ciples came  together  to  break  bread,  Paul  preach- 
ed unto  them,  &c. 

Surely  one  design  of  their  meeting  was  to 
break  bread,  i.  e.  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  sup- 
per. This  was  with  them  therefore  one  part  of 
the  sanctification  of  the  Sabbath ;  and  perhaps 
their  thus  remembering  the  death  of  Christ  on 
that  day,  is  none  of  the  least  causes  of  its  being 
termed  the  Lord^s  day.  It  adds  probability  to 
this,  that  Chrysostom  \  terms  the  Sabbath  the 
day  of  bread. 

That  in  ail  church- meetings  the  Lord's  supper 
was  dispensed,  is  further  evident  from  the  first 
epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  J  The  apostle  had  said 


*  Acts,  xx.  7.         f  Chrvsost.  Horn.  y.  de  Resvrr, 
\  1  Cor.  xi.  20,  21. 

■  b  2 


286    FREOJJENT  COMMUNICATING  PROVED  FROM 

that  their  meeting  together  was  not  for  the  better,, 
but  for  the  worse;  this  he  proves  from  their  be- 
having themselves  so  in  these  meetings,  that  they 
neither  did  nor  could  eat  the  Lord's  supper  as 
became  that  holy  institution.  When  ye  come  to- 
gether  therefore  into  one  place,  this  is  not  to  eat 
the  Lord's  supper,  i.  e.  it  is  not  so  to  do  it  as 
that  sacred  action  ought  to  be  performed.  Now, 
this  argument  evidently  supposes,  that  when- 
ever they  assembled  together,  they  came  to  eat 
the  Lord's  supper ;  for  otherwise  their  coming 
together,  so  as  not  to  eat  the  Lord's  supper, 
would  be  no  proof  that  their  coming  together 
was  for  the  worse.  Had  the  apostle  charged 
the  Corinthians,  as  guilty  in  some  particular 
meetings  in  which  the  Lord's  supper  was  im- 
mediately concerned,  we  had  then  understood^ 
that  it  was  not  a  constant  exercise  in  their  wor- 
shipping assemblies ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  he 
charges  them  with  profaning  the  Lord's  supper 
in  all  their  meetings;  and  what  is  termed  com- 
ing together, -vtr.  17.  coining  to  the  church,  ver. 
18.  coming  to  one  place,  ver.  19.  is  termed  com- 
ing together  to  eat,  ver.  33.*  Which  shews, 
that  whenever  the  Christians  met  together  in 
one  place  for  religious  exercises,  eating  of  bread 
was  a  part  of  their  employment. 

Pliny,    in    his  epistle  to  the  emperor  Tra- 


*  Coming  together  to  dat,  is  an  expression  as  liable  to  be 
perverted  tor  excluding  the  iairy  from  the  cup.,  as  Luke,  xxiv. 
10.  and  Act£»  ii.  42.  But  none,  to  ward  offthat  silly  argument,  have 
ever  said  that  the  passage  has  ncr  relation  to  the  sacrament.  Why 
-hen  ne#J  they  j,ay  so  in  these  other  instances  ? 


rilE   SCRIPTURES   AND   ANCIENT    FATHERS.    287 

jan  *,  wrote  about  the  year  of  Christ  ]  10,  which 
was  only  six  years  after  the  death  of  the  evan- 
gelist John,  acquaints  the  emperor,  that  he 
had  found  nothing  to  allege  against  the  Chris- 
tians, but  their  obstinacy  in  their  superstition  ; 
and  that  it  was  their  custom  to  meet  together  on 
a  set  day  before  it  was  light,  and  to  sing  a 
hymn  to  Christ  as  God,  and  to  bind  themselves 
by  the  sacrament,  that  they  would  commit  no 
wickedness. 

Justin  Martyr,  who  wrote  A.  D.  155,  is  ano- 
ther witness  f>  On  the  day,  says  he,  that  is  call- 
ed Sunday,  all  the  Christians  meet  together,  be- 
cause that  is  the  day  of  our  Saviour's  resurrec- 
tion, arid  then  we  have  read  to  us  the  writings  of 
the  prophets  and  apostles.  This  done,  the  presi- 
dent makes  a  speech,  exhorting  the  people  to 
practice  what  they  have  heard.  Then  we  all  join 
in  prayer;  then  bread,  wine,  and  water,  are 
brought  forth,  and  the  president  having  again 
poured  out  prayers  and  praises  to  God,  there  is 
a  distribution  and  communication  made  of  the 
sacramental  elements.  Last  of  all,  those  that  are 
willing  and  able,  contribute  what  they  think  fit 

for  the  relief  of  the  indigent. How  exactly 

does  this  account  of  the  worship  of  the  primitive 
church  tally  with  that  of  St.  Luke  .rJ 

Tertullian,  who  lived  about  A.  D.  200  ||, 
takes  notice  of  some  who  declined  receiving  the 
sacrament    on  the  stationary  days  (Wednesday 

*  Plin.  Epist.  lib.  10.  ep.  97.  Seque  sacramento  obstringere,  &c,. 

f  Jastin   Martyr,   Apol.   I.  sect.  96,  97.     ti  &i  rey  »\/cy  ktyz/utvn 

r>u&*}  &.c.      $  Actsii.  42.       B  Tertullian  de  Orat.cap.  xiv.  p.  136, 


288    FREQUENT  COMMUNICATING  PRO VED  FROM 

2nd  Friday)  for  fear  of  breaking  their  fast;  and 
blames  them  for  this  as  a  foolish  scruple — This 
passage  not  only  proves  that  he  thought  it  a  du- 
ty incumbent  on  the  faithful  to  communicate  as 
often  as  possible,  but  that  it  was  then  a  common 
practice,  to  communicate  on  other  days  as  well 
as  Sundays. 

Minutius  Felix,  who  flourished  A.  D.  230, 
speaks  of  the  Christians  assembling  to  eat  on 
the  solemn  day  *. 

Cyprian  (A.  D.  250.)  tells  us,  that  daily  com- 
munions  were  the  common  practice  of  his  tiuief. 
And  Fortunatus,  his  contemporary,  made  use  of 
the  fourth  petition  of  the  Lord's  prayer  as  an  ar- 
gument for  communicating  daily. 

Victorinus  Petavionensis  (A.  D.  290.)  tells 
us,  that  it  was  usual  on  the  Lord's  dav  to  receive 
the  Sacrament  J. 

Basil,  about  the  year  372,  recommends  com- 
municating every  day  ;  and  informs  us,  that  it 
was  the  practice  of  the  church  of  Caesarea,  where 
he  was,  to  celebrate  the  sacrament  four  times 
a-week,  viz.  on  Sunday,  Wednesday,  Friday, 
and  Saturday  ||. 

Ambrose,  Bishop  of  Milan,  who  was  con- 
temporary with  Basil,  or  whoever  is  author  of 
the  tract,  in  his  works,  de  Sacramentis,  justly 
blames   the   infrequent  use   of  the  Sacrament 


*  Epulas  die  solenni  coeunt.   Min.  Fel.  p.  30.  -f  Cyprian  de 

Orat.  Domifl.  p.  209.  210.  ed.  Bcned.  Eucharistian  quotidie  ad  ciijum 
salut:s.accipirr.ns,  &c.  \  Vict.    Petav.  de  Fabric.  Mundi,  ap. 

Cave,  r>.  103.  Die  dominico  cw.  gratiarum  acticne  ad  nanem  exea- 
mus.    *        I'  Basil,  ep.  289 


THE    SCRIPTURES  AND  ANCIEXT  FATHERS.       289 

among  the  Greeks,  where  some  communicated 
only  once  a-year ;  and  seems  to  intimate,  that 
daily  communions  were  in  use  at  Milan*. 

St.  Hierom  tells  us,  that  they  were  likewise 
kept  up  in  his  time,  (i.  e.  about  the  year  390.), 
in  the  churches  of  Spain,  and  at  Rome  f. 

Augustine  (about  the  year  410)  tells  us,  that 
the  eucharist  was  received  by  many  on  Satur- 
day, as  well  as  the  Lord's  day,  every  week  ;  and 
by  some  even  daily  J. 

These  passages  are  more  than  sufficient  to 
prove,  that  during  the  first  four  centuries,  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper  was  dispensed 
even  oftener  than  once  a- week,  and  that  it  was 
a  constant  branch  of  the  sanctification  of  the 
Sabbath.  We  next  inquire  after  the  practice  of 
the  reformed  Churches. 

In  Bohemia,  the  holy  Supper  is  usually  cele- 
brated four  times  a-year.  They  dispense  it  of- 
tener when  the  need  of  the  faithful  requires  it ; 
but  thus  often  they  enjoin  it  to  be  dispensed  for 
the  sake  of  uniformity  ||. 

A  national  synod  of  the  Protestants  in  France, 
met  at  Charinton  1644,  give  it  as  their  judg- 
ment, *?  That  though  the  Lord's  supper  is  dis- 
pensed in  their  church  only  four  times  a-year, 
greater  frequency  would  be  desirable,  the  reve- 
rence requisite  at  the  Lord's  tabie  being  pre- 
served, that  so  saints  might   increase  in  faith, 


*  Ambros.  de  Sacram.  lib.  v.  cap.  4.  p.  449. 
•\   Hieronym.  ep.  52.  ad  Lucin. 
}  August!,!,  ep   118  adjanuar. 

II  Account  of  the  church  order  and  discipline  in  the  unity  of  tie 
brethren  of  Bohemia,  chap.  iii.  sect.  4. 


290       FREQUENT  COMMUNICATING  PROVED   PROM 

through  frequent  partaking  of  the  Sacrament 
as  the  primitive  church  did.*" 

The  Lutherans  have  a  communion  every 
Sunday  and  holiday  throughout  the  year.f  And 
though  the  number  of  communicants  is  often 
but  small. J  yet  it  is  usual  among  them  to  com- 
municate three  or  four  times  a  year.  J 

The  church  of  England  enjoins,  that  "  in 
every  parish-church,  and  chapel,  where  Sacra- 
ments are  to  be  administered  within  this  realm, 
the  holy  communion  shall  be  ministered  by  the 
parson,  vicar,  or  minister,  so  often,  and  at  such 
times,  as  every  parishioner  may  communicate 
at  least  thrice  in  they  ear."  || 

From  the  form  of  dispensing  the  Sacraments, 
composed  by  Calvin  for  the  use  of  the  church 
of  Geneva,  it  appears,  that  the  Lord's  day  pre- 
ceding, intimation  was  made  to  the  people,  that 
they  might  prepare  for  that  holy  ordinance  ;  and 
that  strangers,  who  inclined  to  communicate, 
might  converse  with  the  minister.  On  the  Sa- 
crament-day, the  minister,  at  the  end  of  the  ser- 
mon, explained  the  design  of  that  ordinance, 
and  how  it  ought  to  be  received  :  or,  if  he  judg- 
ed it  necessary,  spent  his  whole  sermon  on  that 
subject.  How  often  in  the  year  the  Sacrament 
was  dispensed,  is  not  there  mentioned;  but 
from  Caivin's  zeal  to  revive  even  weekly  com- 
municating, it  is  probable  it  was  at  least  once  a 


*  La  Discipline  des  Englises  Reformes  de  France,  cap.  xii.  sect.  4. 

•\  Johnson's  Unbloody  Sacrifice,  Part  ii.  p.  151. 

j  Calvoer  de  Tic   Eccl.  t.  i.  p.  75'<l. 

$  Buddei  Inst.  Theol   Dcgm  lib.  v.  cap.  1.  sect.  19. 

ji  Canon  xxi.  of  the  Province  of  Canterbury. 


THE   SCRIPTURES   AND   ANCIENT   TATHER3.       291 

month  :  especially  as  Calvin  approved  the  Book 
of  Common  Order  of  the  English  church  at 
Geneva,  where  Knox  was  minister;  which  book 
takes  notice,  that  the  Lord's  supper  was  com- 
monly used  by  them  once  a  month,  so  oft  as  the 
congregation  think  expedient.* 

The  Greek  church  celebrate  the  Sacrament 
every  Sunday,  and  solemn  Festival,  in  their 
great  churches,  and  the  laity  are  obliged  to  re- 
ceive it  four  times  a  year,  f 

The  29th  of  April  1560,  the  great  council  of 
Scotland  laid  their  orders  upon  six  ministers, 
whereof  Mr.  John  Knox  was  one,  to  commit  to 
writing  their  judgment  touching  the  reforma- 
tion of  religion.  Upon  this  they  drew  up  the 
first  book  of  discipline,  and  presented  it  to  the 
great  council,  May  20,  1560. 

Their  opinion  touching  the  times  of  dispens- 
ing the  Lord's  Supper,  they  give  in  these 
words  :  J  "  Four  times  in  the  year  we  think 
•'•  sufficient  to  the  administration  of  the  Lord's 
table,  which  we  desire  to  be  distincted,  that  the 
superstitions  of  times  may  be  avoided,  so  far  as 
may  be  ;  for  your  Honours  are  not  ignorant  how 
superstitiously  the  people  run  to  that  action  at 
Pasche,  even  as  if  that  time  gave  virtue  to  the 
Sacrament ;  and  how  the  rest  of  the  whole  year 
they  are  careless  and  negligent,  as  if  it  apper- 
tained not  unto  them,  but  at  that  time  only. 
We  think  therefore  most  expedient,  that  the 


•  Book  of  Common  Order,  Sec.  Preamble  to  chap.  x. 

t  Smith's  Account  of  the  Greek  Church. 

$  First  Book  of  Discipline,  chap.  xi.  sect.  5.  of  Dunlop's  edition- 


292      FREQUENT  COMMUNICATING  PROVED  PROM 

first  Sunday  of  March  be  appointed  for  one 
time  to  that  service;  the  first  Sunday  of  June 
for  another  -;  the  first  Sunday  of  September  for 
the  third ;  and  the  first  Sunday  of  December 
for  the  fourth.  We  do  not  deny,  but  any  seve- 
ral kirk,  for  reasonable  causes,  may  change  the 
time,  and  may  minister  oftener  ;  but  we  study 
to  repress  superstition." 

It  is  alleded,  that  i6  the  primitive  Christians 
were  so  eminent  in  religion,  and  so  well  prepa- 
red for  the  sacrament,  that  weekly  communions 
might,  in  their  time,  be  highly  expedient ;  but 
that  in  our  degenerate  times,  the  case  is  altered? 
and  our  frequently  partaking,  considering  our 
low  attainments  in  grace,  would  be  highly  dan- 
gerous." 

But,  if  our  attainments  are  so  low,  is  there 
not  a  cause?  And  what  cause  more  probable, 
than  our  seldom  attendance  on  that  ordinance, 
which  our  Lord  intended  as  the  principal  means 
of  keeping  up  a  lively  sense  of  his  dying  love? 
Besides,  as  Calvin  well  observes,*  the  weaker 
our  graces  are,  the  greater  is  our  need  of  fre- 
quent attendance  on  this  ordinance,  to  strengthen 
and  increase  them.  It  ought  also  to  be  remem- 
bered, that  even  the  primitive  church  had  spots 
in  their  feasts  of  charity.  St.  Paul  does  not 
describe  a  Christian  deportment  in  the  church- 


*  'Quo  enim  majore  imbecillitate  -premimur,  eo  rnajus  ac  frequen- 
lius  in  eo  exerceri  debemus,  quod  turn  ad  confirmandam  tidem  nos- 
tram,  turn  etiam  ad  sanctitatem  vitae  promovendam  nobis  usui  esse  et 
potest  et  debet. — Calvin  de  Ccena  Domini,  in  Tract.  Theol.  Genev 
1617.  fol.p.5. 


THE    SCRIPTURES   AND  ANCIENT    FATHERS.       29 

meetings  of  the  Corinthians :  but  he  no  where 
advises  them  to  communicate  seldomer,  but  on- 
\y  enjoins  them  to  do  it  in  a  more  becoming- 
manner. 

<c  The  Jewish  passovcr  was  Celebrated  only 
once  a  year  :  therefore,  f*  say  some.  *f  the  Lord's 
Supper,  which  comes  in  its  place,  should  be  dis- 
pensed no  oftener."  To  this  I  reply,  in  the 
words  of  Mr.  Charnock,*  The  passover  indeed 
was  annual.  God  fixed  it  to  that  time  ;  but  they 
had  their  daily  sacrifices  in  the  temple,  which 
were  types  of  Christ,  and  remembrancers  to 
them  of  what  was.-in  time  to  be  exhibited.  We 
have  no  ordinance  settled  by  Christ  in  comme- 
moration of  his  death,  but  this  only. 

But  the  argument  on  which  most  stress  is 
laid,  is,  that  frequency  will  lessen  the  solemnity 
of  the  ordinance,  and  bring  it  into  contempt. 
They  argue  thus:  "  Affections  are  wound  up 
to  a  higher  pitch  by  the  novelty  and  rarity  of 
any  thing,  whereas,  the  commonness  of  a  thing, 
however  excellent  it  be,  causes  them  to  flag  and 
cool.  Scarcity  advanceth,  plenty  abateth,  the 
value  of  every  thing.  Those  acts  of  worship, 
which  are  frequently,  are  also  slightly  perform- 
ed ;  and  since  we  cannot  preserve  both,  we  had 
better  part  with  frequency  than  reverence.  For 
we  shall  more  honour  our  Lord,  by  partaking 
of  his  supper  more  reverently,  though  less  fre- 
quently, than  more  frequently,  with  less  reve- 
rence.— To  this  I  reply, 


*  Ci?*rnock's  Works,  vol.  II.  n.  756 

Cc 


294    FREQUENT   CO.M  MUXIC  ATING  PROVED  FROM 

(I.)  If  frequent  communicating  is  a  duty, 
then  danger  of  doing  it  with  less  advantage 
does  not  lessen  our  obligations  to  that  duty. 
For  whatever  danger  there  is,  God  foresaw  it, 
but  yet  did  not  see  meet  to  guard  against  it, 
by  enjoining  us  to  communicate  seldom.  Shall 
we  then  pretend  to  be  wiser  than  God  ?  Have 
we  found  out  better  means  for  securing  the 
honour  of  his  institutions,  than  the  means  pre- 
scribed and  practised  by  those  w  ho  were  under 
the  infallible  guidance  of  his  Spirit  ?  Have  not 
attempts  of  this  kind  proved  the  source  of  the 
worst  corruptions  in  Popery  ?  Reason  has  no 
power  to  dispense  with,  or  to  derogate  from  the 
positive  laws  of  God,  on  pretence  of  doing 
them  a  service.  It  is  blasphemous  presumption, 
though  it  may  put  on  a  cloak  of  humility,  to 
judge  that  a  sufficient  reason  to  hinder  thee  from 
frequent  communicating,  which  our  Lord  did 
not  judge  a  sufficient  reason  to  hinder  him  from 
commanding  it.  If  thou  thus  judge  the  law, 
thou  art  not  a  doer  of  the  law,  but  a  judge.  Is 
there,  in  the  whole  Bible,  any  express  or  tacit 
dispensation  from  frequent  communicating,  if 
we  happen  to  imagine,  that  frequency  will  lessen 
our  reverence?  Disobedience  to  Christ  is  no 
part  of  the  respect  we  owe  to  the  Lord's  table. 
To  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice.  Our  Lord  did 
not  say,  Honour  the  sacrament,  or  dread  it,  or 
admire  it,  or  adore  it,  but  partake  of  it.  We  are 
not  therefore  at  liberty  to  substitute  any  other 
mark  of  respect  to  this  ordinance,  in  room  of 
partaking  of  it   How  singularly  unfortunate  is 


THE   SCRIPTURES   AND   ANCIENT    FATHERS.       29.*» 

the  command,  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me, 
to  be  disobeyed  from  too  much  regard  ? 

(2.)  Conjecture  is  lighter  than  experience. 
Let  us  then  see,  whether  the  objection  is  veri- 
fied or  disproved  by  matter  of  fact.  And  here, 
on  the  one  side,  the  history  of  the  primitive 
church,  for  more  than  three  hundred  years, 
proves,  that  constancy  and  reverence  happily 
conspired  together  to  God's  glory,  and  his 
church's  benefit.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  when 
succeeding  ages  attempted,  by  lessening  the 
frequency  to  increase  the  reverence,  the  conse- 
quence was,  that  by  degrees,  the  very  being  of 
the  ordinance  was  in  danger  of  being  lost,  and 
a  multitude  of  the  most  terrible  mischiefs,  and 
particularly  a  general  decay  of  the  power  of  god- 
liness, overspread  the  Christian  world. 

(3.)  Does  not  the  Bible  speak  strongly  on  the 
solemnity  of  prayer,  and  the  danger  of  rashness 
in  speaking  to  God  ?  And  does  it  not  tell  us, 
that  the  word,  when  heard  unworthily,  is  a  sa- 
vour of  death  unto  death  ?  Shall  we  then  pray 
seldom,  and  hear  the  word  seldom,  that  we  may 
do  it  with  the  greater  solemnity  :  and  so  not  ex- 
pose ourselves  to  the  danger  of  praying  unwor- 
thily, and  hearing  unworthily  ?  Would  not  this 
way  of  reasoning  be  fallacious,  if  applied  to  pray- 
er, and  hearing  the  word  ?  And  is  it  not  equally 
so,  when  applied  to  the  sacrament  ?  The  godly 
will  not  quit  their  reverence  to  the  Lord's  table 
upon  any  the  greatest  frequency,  as  appears  by 
their  uniting  frequency  and  reverence  in  other 
religious  institutions.    And  the  shew  of  reve 


396       FREQUENT  COMMUNICATING  PROVED  FROM- 

rence  the  ungodly  bring,  to  it,  is  not  worth  the 
preserving ;  and  much  less  is  it  worth  the  pur- 
chasing at  so  dear  a  rate,  as  the  depriving  saints 
of  this  ordinance. 

(4.)  Prayer,  hearing  the  word,  &c.  are  not  less 
useful  by  reason  of  their  frequency.  Those  who 
abound  in  them  most,  find  most  benefit  in  them. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  meditation,  self-ex- 
amination, and  other  religious  exercises.  Why, 
then,  should  it  be  supposed,  that  rareness  in  re- 
membering Christ's  death  in  the  sacrament, 
should  add  to  the  effect  of  that  ordinance  ? — - 
Novelty,  it  must  be  owned,  adds  a  force  to  every 
thing.  Fulness  brings  cheapness  on  the  very 
bread  of  life  ;  yet  who  would  infer  from  this, 
that  it  ought  to  be  with- held  till  famine  enhance 
the  price  .?  Or,  that  we  ought  to  be  seldom  in 
preaching  the  great  and  heart- affecting  truths  of 
the  gospel,  lest  by  oftener  insisting  on  them, 
they  should  affect  less  ? 

1  shall  conclude  this  head,  with  the  words  of 
Mr.  Charnock  :  *  £i  To  be  frequent  in  commu- 
nicating, is  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  the  ordi- 
nance, and  necessary  for  the  wants  of  a  Chris- 
tian. By  too  much  fasting  we  often  lose  our 
stomachs.  Too  much  deferring  does  more  hurt 
than  frequent  communicating.  The  oftener  we 
carefully  and  believingly  communicate,  the  more 
disposed  we  shall  be  for  it.  If  it  be  worthily 
received,  it  increaseth  our  reverence  of  God, 
and  affection  to  him.    And  that  is  the  best  re- 

*  Charnock,  ubi  supra,  and  p.  747. 


THE   SCRIPTURES   AND    ANCIENT   FATHERS.     297 

verence  of  God,  which  owneth  his  authority. 
Christ's  death  fs  to  be  every  day  fixed  in  our 
thoughts ;  and  to  help  our  weakness,  there  should 
be  a  frequent  representation  of  it  to  our  senses, 
in  such  a  way  as  Christ  has  instituted,  not  as 
men  may  prescribe." 

Calvin  handles  this  subject  with  great  accura- 
cy, in  his  Institutions.  *  He  tells  us,  it  was 
then  the  practice,  to  receive  the  communion  but 
once  a-year,  and  that  in  a  formal,  superficial 
nianner.f  And  after  having  urged  frequent 
communicatingfrom  the  design  of  the  ordinance, 
and  the  practice  of  the  apostolic  and  primitive 
church,  he  adds,  "  And  doubtless  the  custom 
of  communicating  only  once  a-year,  is  the  in- 
vention of  the  devil,  whoever  was  the  instru- 
ment of  introducing  it."  And  a  little  after  : 
li  Our  practice  ought  to  be  the  very  reverse. 
Every  week  at  least,  the  Lord's  table  should  be 
spread  before  the  assembly  of  Christians,  and 
the  promises  upon  which  they  should  feed,  there 
opened  up  to  them.  None,  indeed,  should  be 
forced  to  it,  but  all  should  be  exhorted  and  en- 
couraged. J" 


*  Lib.  iv.  cap.  17.  i  44.-46. 

■}•  Hsec  abunde  ostendunr,  sacramentum  non  institutum  ideo  fuisse, 
ut  semel  quotannis  acciperetur,  idque  perfunctorie,  ut  nunc  commu- 
nitermoris  est.   y  44. 

J  Et  sanehaec  consuetudo,  qux  semel  quotannis  communicare  jubet, 
certissimum  est  Diaboli  inventum  cujuscunque  tsndem  ministerio  iri- 
vectafuerit.  Et  paulo  post :  Longe  alr.er  factum  oportuit.  Singulis 
ab  minimum  hebdomadibus  proponenda  erat  Christianorum  ca-tui 
mensa  Domini,  declarandx  promissiones,  qux  nos  in  ea  spiritualiter 
pascerent.  Nullus  quidem  necessitate  cogendus,  sed  cohortandi 
omnes  et  stimulandi.     $  46. 


298    FREQUENT  COMMUNICATING  PROVED  FROM 

Mr.  Baxter,  in  his  Christian  Directory,  part 
II.  p.  101.  having  proposed  the  question,  u  How 
often  should  the  sacrament  be  now  administer- 
ed., that  it  neither  grow  into  contempt  nor 
strangeness  ?"  He  thus  answers  it. 

Ordinarily.,  in  well-disciplined  churches,  it 
should  be  still  every  Lord's  day.  For,  (1.) 
We  have  no  reason  to  prove,  that  the  apostles' 
example  and  appointment  in  thio  case  was  pro- 
per to  those  times,  any  more  than  that  praise 
and  thanksgiving  daily  is  proper  to  them :  and 
we  may  as  well  deny  the  obligation  of  other  in- 
stitutions, or  apostolical  orders,  as  that.  (2.) 
It  is  a  part  of  the  settled  order  for  the  Lord's 
day's  worship;  and  omitting  it  maimeth  and 
altereththe  worship  of  the  day,  and  occasioneth 
the  omission  of  the  thanksgiving  and  praise,  and 
lively  commemorations  of  Christ,  which  should 
be  then  most  performed ;  and  so  Christians,  by 
use,  grow  habituated  to  sadness,  and  a  mourn- 
ing, melancholy  religion,  and  grow  unacquaint- 
ed with  much  of  the  worship  and  spirit  of  the 
gospel.  (3.)  Hereby  many  lamentable  cor- 
ruptions of  this  ordinance  have  grown  up.  even 
by  an  excess  of  reverence  and  fear,  which  sel- 
dom receiving  doth  increase,  till  they  are  come 
to  worship  bread  as  their  God.  (4. )  By  seldom 
communicating,  men  are  seduced  to  think  all 
proper  communion  of  churches  lieth  in  that  sa- 
crament, and  to  be  more  profanely  bold  in  abu- 
sing many  other  parts  of  worship.  There  are 
better  means,  by  teaching  and  discipline,  to  keep 
the  sacrament  from  contempt,  than  the  omitting 


THE   SCRIPTURES   AND   ANCIENT   FATHERS.     299 

or  displacing  of  it.  (6.)  Every  Lord's  day  is 
no  oftencr  than  Christians  need  it.  (7.)  The 
frequency  will  teach  them  to  live  prepared,  and 
not  only  to  make  much  ado  once  a-month,  or 
quarter,  when  the  same  work  is  neglected  all 
the  year  besides  ;  even  as  one  that  liveth  in  con- 
tinual expectation  of  death,  will  live  in  continu- 
al preparation  ;  when  he  that  expecteth  it  but 
in  some  grievous  sickness,  will  then  be  frighted 
into  some  seeming  preparations,  which  are  not 
the  habit  of  his  soul,  but  laid  bye  again  when 
the  disease  is  over. 

But  yet  I  must  add,  that  in  some  undisciplin- 
ed churches,  and  upon  some  occasions,  it  may 
be  longer  omitted,  or  seldomer  used.  No  duty 
is  a  duty  at  all  times.  And  therefore  extraor- 
dinary cases  may  raise  such  expediments,  as  may 
hinder  us  a  long  time  from  this,  and  many  o- 
ther  privileges.  But  the  ordinary  faultiness  of 
our  imperfect  hearts,  that  are  apt  to  grow  cus- 
tomary and  dull,  is  no  good  reason  why  it 
should  be  seldom,  any  more  than  why  other 
special  duties  of  worship  and  church-communion 
should  be  seldom.  Read  well  the  epistles  of 
Paul  to  the  Corinthians,  and  you  will  find  that 
they  were  then  as  bad  as  the  true  Christians  are 
now,  and  that  even  in  the  sacrament  they  were 
very  culpable  ;  and  yet  Paul  seeketh  not  to  cure 
them  by  their  seldomer  communicating. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Edwards,  of  Northampton  in 
New-  England,  in  a  book ,  entitled,  Some  Thoughts 
concerning  the  present  revival  of  religion,  says, 


500      FREQUENT   COMMUNICATING  PROVED,  &?('. 

iC  It  seems  plain,  by  the  scripture,  that  the  primi- 
tive Christians  were  wont  to  celebrate  this  me- 
morial of  the  sufferings  of  their  dear  Redeemer 
every  Lord's  day  ;  and  so.  I  believe,  it  will  be 
again  in  the  church  of  Christ,  in  days  that  are 
approaching." 


F I  N I  S. 


